On the pathogenesis of the radiculopathy complicating multilevel corpectomy.

Postoperative fifth cervical radiculopathy has been described after cervical corpectomy. One explanation for this complication is thought to be the factor of traction on cervical roots caused by a shifting of the spinal cord consequent to decompression. This theory is supported by our experience with 176 patients undergoing corpectomies for whom a lesser width of decompression all but eliminated the complication.