Pharyngolaryngeal lesions in patients undergoing cervical spine surgery through the anterior approach: contribution of methylprednisolone

Cervical spinal surgery through anterior approaches can lead to ear, nose and throat (ENT) complications, some of which, such as obstruction of upper airways by edema, are potentially life threatening. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of various categories of ENT lesions and to determine whether preventive treatment with methylprednisolone (Mp) is useful in this indication. In a prospective trial, 236 patients who were undergoing anterior cervical spine surgery were separated into two groups, a control group (group I: 158 patients) and a group receiving I mg/kg of Mp intravenously at the end of the operation and 12 and 24 h later (group II: 78 patients). All 236 patients underwent nasofibroscopic examination by an ENT specialist the day before the operation and 24 and 36 h after the operation. The lesions observed during these examinations and reported symptoms such as uncomfortable sensation, odynophagia, or dysphagia were compared between the two groups (chi(2) or Mann-Whitney test) in terms of relative risk, with a confidence interval of 95%. Quantitative findings were compared using Student's t-test (P<0.05). Demographic characteristics and duration of endotracheal intubation were comparable in the two groups. The ENT examination was considered abnormal in 30 patients of group I and 15 patients of group II preoperatively (NS). It was abnormal in 146 patients of group I (92%) and 46 patients of group II (59%) postoperatively. Altered vocal cord motility was noted in six patients of group I and two patients of group II. The relative risk was 1.6 (CI: 1.3-1.9). Postoperatively, 130 patients in group I and 56 of group II (NS) reported unwanted symptoms. The observed lesions were significantly more severe in group I (P<0.001), involving primarily the pharyngeal wall, the arytenoids, and the vocal cords. The results of this study indicate that ENT complications of anterior cervical spinal surgery are diminished by administration of Mp. Systematic ENT examination is warranted before this type of operation.