Anterior cervical decompression and fusion with Caspar plate fixation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of anterior cervical decompression and fixation with Caspar plating in cervical spine injury on neurological outcome. STUDY DESIGN A case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Neurosurgery, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from July 2008 to March 2011. METHODOLOGY Thirty patients admitted with cervical spine injuries were inducted in the study. All cases were evaluated for their clinical features, level of injury and degree of neurological injury was assessed using Frankel grading. Pre and postoperative record with X-rays and MRI were maintained. Cervical traction was applied to patients with sub-luxation. All patients underwent anterior cervical decompression, fusion and Caspar plate fixation. The follow-up period was 6 months with clinical and radiological assessment. RESULTS Among 30 patients, 24 (80%) were males and 6 (20%) were females. Age ranged from 15 to 55 years. Causes of injury were road traffic accident (n = 20), fall (n = 8) and assault (n = 2). Commonest mode of injury was road traffic accident (66.6%). Postoperative follow-up showed that pain and neurological deficit were improved in 21 patients. There was no improvement in 7 patients, one patient deteriorated and one expired. All patients developed pain at donor site. CONCLUSION Anterior decompression, fusion and fixation with Caspar plate is an effective method with good neurological and radiological outcome. However, it is associated with pain at donor site.