Objective: To ameliorate the clinical decision-making process when debating between a ventral or dorsal cervical approach by elucidating whether post-operative dysphagia be regarded as a complication or a transient side effect.
Methods: A literature review of studies comparing complication rates following ventral and dorsal cervical approaches was performed. A stratified complication rate excluding dysphagia was calculated and discussed. A retrospective cohort of patients operated for degenerative cervical myelopathy in a single institution comprising 665 patients was utilized to analyze complication rates using a uniform definition for dysphagia.
Results: Both the ventral and the dorsal approach groups exhibited comparable neurological improvement rates. Since transient dysphagia was not considered a complication, the dorsal approach was associated with higher level of overall complications.
Conclusions and relevance: Inconsistencies in the definition of dysphagia following ventral cervical surgery impedes the interpretation of trials comparing dorsal and ventral complication rates. A uniform definition for complications and side effects may enhance the validity of medical trials.
Keywords: ACDF; cervical discectomy; cervical spine surgery; complications; dorsal approach; dysphagia; ventral approach.