Anterior Exposure of the Thoracic Spine

Spinal operation via an anterior thoracic approach is becoming increasingly common, and the thoracic surgeon is now being called upon to provide exposure for orthopedic and neurosurgical colleagues. We report experience with 126 such patients from 1982 through 1993. There were 61 male and 65 female patients (mean age, 39.0 years; range, 14 to 77 years). Indications were trauma in 45 patients (36%), spinal deformity in 42 (33%), cancer in 15 (12%), disc disease in 12 (10%), and infection in 12 (10%). Operative incisions included 22 (17%) right and 14 (11%) left thoracotomies, 33 (26%) right and 56 (44%) left thoracolumbar approaches, and one (1%) sternotomy. A prior spinal operation had been performed on 31 patients (25%), and 56 (44%) had a subsequent posterior spinal operation. Instrumentation was used in 38 (30%) and bone grafts in all but 6 patients. A neurologic deficit was present in 69 patients (55%) preoperatively and was improved in 67 patients postoperatively. Operative mortality was 3.2% (4 patients) due to myocardial infarction, stroke with pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and malignant biliary obstruction. Univariate and multivariate risk analysis were performed. Only the diagnosis of osteomyelitis proved to be a significant (p = 0.0002) indicator of operative mortality, with 3 of 12 such patients dying (25%). These results suggest that anterior spinal exposure via thoracic approach is a major operation with considerable perioperative risk. Patients with osteomyelitis appear to be at increased risk for operative mortality.