ABSTRACT
Anterior cervical decompression and fusion was introduced by Robinson and Smith (1) and Cloward (2,3) in the 1950s and became a common procedure because of the excellent clinical results achieved (4-10). However, the influence of anterior cervical decompression and fusion on the unfused segments of the spine has become clear through long-term follow-up studies (11-15). Examination by routine radiography showed the development of degeneration (11,14). Recently, artificial intervertebral disc replacement has developed as a substitute for anterior decompression and fusion (16,17). The authors have investigated the occurrence of herniation of the unfused intervertebral discs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following anterior cervical decompression and fusion to elucidate the influence of this surgery on the unfused segments of the spine.
