CHAPTER 126 An anterior cervical fusion is performed to relieve pain and stabilize the neck by fusing the cervical vertebrae. The patient is placed in the supine position. Bone from the iliac crest or from a bone bank may be used for the fusion. Possible instruments needed for the procedure include a neurologic soft tissue set. A brief description of the bone-retrieval procedure follows: 1. A Hudson brace is used to obtain bone from the iliac crest. 2. A Cloward dowel cutter is used to cut the bone to the appropriate size. A brief description of the anterior cervical fusion procedure follows: 1. A Cloward cervical retractor with one long and one short blade is used to separate the carotid sheath, trachea, and esophagus. 2. A Ferris Smith pituitary rongeur is used to remove the disk. 3. A Cloward vertebra spreader is used to widen the space. 4. A Cloward double-ended impactor is used to seat the bone graft between the vertebrae.
Anterior Cervical Fusion
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
