Appearances of posterior osteophytes after sound anterior interbody fusion in the cervical spine: a high-definition computed myelographic study.

Whether posterior osteophytes in the cervical spine resorb after anterior interbody fusion is controversial. Previous studies have only used plain films. In order to study remodelling, a retrospective study of 53 patients using high-definition CT was performed. There was no evidence of remodelling or resorption of osteophytes and persistent osteophytes continued to deform the spinal cord for up to 12 years after fusion. The importance of this in relation to cervical spinal surgery is that every effort should be made to remove posterior osteophytes during anterior interbody fusion.