[Lateral and lateral anterior approaches in tumors of the cervical vertebrae].

The limit of the standard anterior and posterior approaches on the cervical spine is a small area including the pedicle and transversary process. However, this area contains the vertebral artery and the merging cervical roots. The lateral-anterior route gives access to both structures while the lateral one leads mainly to the intervertebral foramen and nerve roots. Both techniques are described with stress on the great advantages of the lateral-anterior route: easy exposure, large operative field, possibility of complementary arthrodesis and venous graft by-pass on the vertebral artery. Experience on 14 cervical bony tumors resected through the lateral-anterior approach is reported. Complementary techniques were performed in 5 cases: carotid-vertebral artery by-pass in 1, laminectomy in 2 and bone grafting in 2. Therefore, the lateral anterior approach is considered a good way to deal with the intermediate part of the cervical spine.