Staged cervical osteotomy:a new strategy for correcting ankylosing spondylitis thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity with fused cervical spine

BACKGROUND: In patients with cervical ankylosis, the chin-brow vertical angle (CBVA) should be taken into consideration. Usually, the correction of sagittal balance is sacrificed to ensure the patient has a horizontal visual field. To our knowledge, a staged osteotomy strategy for ankylosing spondylitis kyphotic deformity with an ankylosed cervical spine has not been reported before. The aim of this study was to describe a new surgical strategy with emphasis on sagittal balance and gaze angle in correction of kyphotic deformity with a rigid cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity. METHODS: A 36-year-old man has severe thoracolumbar kyphosis accompanied with cervical hyperlordosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis. A two-stage surgery planning was managed. For the first stage, an interrupted two-level osteotomy was performed at the thoracolumbar area. After surgery, sagittal imbalance was corrected but the CBVA was − 21.7°. Cervical osteotomy was performed for the second stage. A flexion osteotomy was performed at C7, using anterior-posterior-anterior approaches. RESULTS: Both sagittal imbalance and gaze angle of the patient were improved markedly. The osteotomy sites were documented fused. Complications were not observed during and after operation. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of osteotomy for ankylosing spondylitis is to reestablish sagittal balance and improve forward gaze and the visual field. A staged cervical osteotomy is an alternative to reduce cervical lordosis to obtain a normal gaze angle. An anterior-posterior-anterior approach is recommended.