LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Transcorporeal tunnel approach is a relatively new alternative of anterior cervical decompression and fusion for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, with its main advantage being presumably the preservation of the intervertebral space. The aim of the present article is to present the outcomes of the systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the short term outcomes of this surgical technique. METHODS A systematic review and a meta-analysis using the random effects method of the available studies was performed to assess the safety and efficiency of the transcorporeal tunnel approach for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. RESULTS In total, 15 eligible studies were identified with a cumulative number of 254 patients. Pooled data yielded a complication rate of 0.053, a failure rate of the technique 0.081, while a patient-reported favourable outcome of 0.94 was documented. The available data did not allow for a definite conclusion on the effects of the technique on the intervertebral space height. CONCLUSIONS While technically challenging, as all minimally invasive methods, the transcorporeal tunnel approach appears to be a safe and efficient option for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, presenting comparable outcome profiles with alternative open or less invasive techniques.