XXXX as a complication of anterior surgery to the upper cervical spine.

@entity1 @entity4049 @entity5 @entity6256 @entity75 @entity17493 @entity1282 @entity12743 @entity378 @entity4653
@entity17493 is a recognised complication after soft tissue surgery in the upper part of the anterior aspect of the neck, e.g. @entity12743 or carotid body @entity5 excision. However, this complication has been rarely reported following surgery of the upper cervical spine. We report the case of a 35-year-old @entity1 with @entity378 of @entity4049 . She underwent corpectomy and fusion from C2 to C5 using iliac crest bone graft, through a left anterior oblique incision. She developed @entity6256 in the immediate postoperative period, with @entity1282 and @entity4653 . It was thought to be due to traction neurapraxia with possible spontaneous recovery. At 18 months' follow-up, she had a solid fusion and @entity378 was controlled. The hypoglossal palsy persisted, although with minimal functional disability. The only other reported case of @entity75 after anterior cervical spine surgery in the literature also failed to recover. It is concluded that @entity6256 following anterior cervical spine surgery is unlikely to recover spontaneously and it should be carefully identified.
