Novelties for increased safety in cranio-vertebral surgery: a review

Abstract

The cranio-vertebral junction (CVJ) was formerly considered a surgical "no man's land" due to its complex anatomical and biomechanical features. Surgical approaches and hardware instrumentation have had to be tailored in order to achieve successful outcomes. Nowadays, thanks to the ongoing development of new technologies and surgical techniques, CVJ surgery has come to be widely performed in many spine centers. Accordingly, there is a drive to explore novel solutions and technological nuances that make CVJ surgery safer, faster, and more precise. Improved outcome in CVJ surgery has been achieved thanks to increased safety allowing for reduction in complication rates. The Authors present the latest technological advancements in CVJ surgery in terms of imaging, biomaterials, navigation, robotics, customized implants, 3D-printed technology, video-assisted approaches and neuromonitoring.