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Spinal Disorders pp 337–371Cite as

Surgical Approaches

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Abstract

Successful surgery always starts with a detailed preoperative planning of the intervention. Although as simple as it is obvious, a profound knowledge of the surgical anatomy is the prerequisite to achieving the goals of surgery and helping to avoid serious complications. Surgery is a three-dimensional process and none of the excellent but two-dimensional textbooks can substitute for anatomical dissection studies. The surgeon must always consider possible complications which may require extending the surgical approach or changing the approach site, i.e. a change from posterior to anterior or from one body cavity to another. This necessity regularly occurs and the surgeon needs to be prepared or to arrange for a more experienced surgeon to be on hand in case help is needed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Wirbelsäulen- und Rückenmarkchirurgie, Universität Zürich, Universitätsklinik Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008, Zürich, Schweiz

    Norbert Boos

  2. Anatomisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zürich, Schweiz

    Claudio Affolter & Frank J. Ruehli

  3. Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, 72076, Tübingen, Deutschland

    Martin Merkle

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  1. Norbert Boos
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  2. Claudio Affolter
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  3. Martin Merkle
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  4. Frank J. Ruehli
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  1. Zentrum für Wirbelsäulen- und Rückenmarkchirurgie, Universität Zürich Universitätsklinik Balgrist, Forchstraße 340, 8008, Zürich, Switzerland

    Norbert Boos

  2. Institut für Evaluative Forschung in Orthopädischer Chirurgie MEM Forschungszentrum, Universität Bern, Stauffacherstraße 78, 3014, Bern, Switzerland

    Max Aebi

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Boos, N., Affolter, C., Merkle, M., Ruehli, F.J. (2008). Surgical Approaches. In: Boos, N., Aebi, M. (eds) Spinal Disorders. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69091-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69091-7_13

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