Abstract
The anterior lateral approach is medial to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and lateral to the carotid sheath. For approaches to C1, C2, and C3, in which the head should not be turned or rotated, and for surgeons who do not feel comfortable with the neurovascular structures medial to the carotid sheath, this approach offers a relatively bloodless field.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Henry AK: Extensive Exposure, 2nd edn. Edinburgh, Livingstone, 1957, pp 53–80.
Whitesides TE Jr, McDonald AP: Lateral retropharyngeal approach to the upper cervical spine. Orthop Clin N Am 9(4):1115–1127, 1978.
Whitesides TE Jr, Kelly RP: Lateral approach to the upper cervical spine for anterior fusion. South Med J 59:879–883, 1966.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Watkins, R.G. (2015). Anterior Lateral Approach to the Upper Cervical Spine. In: Watkins, III, R., Watkins, IV, R. (eds) Surgical Approaches to the Spine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2465-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2465-3_6
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2464-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2465-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)