The Results of Cervical Discectomy and Interbody Fusion in Whiplash Injury

1) In twenty-three cases, disabling and persistent symptom (Barré-Lieon), was operated upon to excision of one or two cervical discs and interbody fusion through an anterior approach.It was possible to evaluate the late results, in eighteen of twenty-three patients operated on.2) Nine had fusion carried out at a single level, and nine other patients had two levels fused. The greatest number of interbody fusion at one level was performed between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, at two levels fused had fusion between the third and fourth and between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae.3) The longest follow-up was fourty months and the shortest six months.4) In evaluation of the postoperative results, occipital headache, neck pain, persistent spasm of the trapezius, power weakness and paresthesia of arm were improved to good after operation. In many cases, but, in the patients who had been nausea and tinnitus frequently had poorly.5) It was suggested, a slight but definite correlation was obtained between the discectomy with the charted level of pain reproduction by the discogram and results of surgery.