Abstract
The anterior medial approach is an extension of the Smith-Robinson approach. It is medial to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and medial to the carotid sheath. This allows exposure from C1 to T25 and can be combined with an osteotomy of the sternoclavicular joint to allow a greater exposure at T2. The thoracic duct must be avoided with the left anterior medial approach. The recurrent laryngeal nerve should be identified with the right-side approach. The inferior thyroid artery and vein may need ligation and the apex of the lung must be avoided.
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© 1983 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
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Watkins, R.G. (1983). Cervical-Thoracic Junction. In: Surgical Approaches to the Spine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0155-4_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0155-4_10
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-0157-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-0155-4
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