Total body replacement with iliac bone graft and metal plate stabilization in lower cervical spine.

15 patients presented with cervical spine dislocation and kyphotic spondylosis due to traumatic fracture and vertebral body tumour underwent surgical decompression and fixation via the anterior approach in one stage. Decompression was achieved by resection of the body of the vertebra while fixation meant implantation of iliac bone graft with metal plate fixation. Early reduction of the dislocation was impossible or insufficient in most of the cases. Therefore the majority of operations were "late decompression". Patients with root or partial cord lesions had the most significant improvement. In some selected cases, however, who suffered from a total cord lesion due to C6 or C7 fracture-dislocation, surgical decompression of the C7 and/or C8 roots by resection of the C6 or C7 vertebral bodies could lead to useful motor improvement in the hands and the fingers.