The cervical specialized group was established at the beginning of 1990’s. The realm of research and therapy includes the cervical spondylosis, stenosis of cervical spinal canal, the deformity and the trauma of cervical spine etc. The first chief of cervical spine group is Mr. Qinlin Cai. With the developments of over ten years, the group has enlarged to eight members, consisting of three professors, four associate professors and one attending by now. The contemporary chief of the cervical spine group is Professor Yu Sun.
　　The orthepaedic department of the Peking University Third Hospital was the first unit to explore the research and treatment of the cervical spondylosis in China. With the efforts of several generations in the past 50 years, nearly twenty thousand cases have been operated by the orthopaedic specialists. It is also a magnificent achievement, compared with the counterparts in the world. We have created the most reasonable and scientific system for the diagnosis and therapy of the cervical spondylosis. And ‘The systemic research of diagnosis and treatment of the cervical spondylosis’ was crowned by the Honour of the national advances of the science and technology in the year of 2003.
　　In 1960’s, the orthopaedic department of Peking University Third Hospital pioneered to explore the research of the diagnosis and treatment of the cervical spondylosis in China, establishing the scientific classification system and the correlating principles of diagnosis and treatment in the cervical spondylosis, according to its character of pathogenic mechanisms and lesions. Meantime, the cervical anterior approach of single segmental decompression and fusion technology was developed firstly in our hospital in China, which contributes the contemporary cervical anterior operation surgery. In the 1970’s, the first masterpiece on the cervical spondylosis was published in New China, expound the etiology, the pathogenic mechanisms, the measurements of diagnosing and differentiating, the principles of therapy and the prophylaxis of the cervical spondylosis. And the specific original Chinese medicine for the cervical spongdylosis- ‘Gen Tong Ping’ and ‘Jing Tong Ping’ entered the pharmaceutical market, and ‘Gen Tong Ping’ belongs to the national protective new remedy. Coming to the 1980’s, a great deal of progress have been made in the basic and clinical research of the cervical spondylosis respectively, clearing the important sense of the developmental stenosis of the cervical spine canal and instability of the cervical spine in the etiology of the cervical spondylosis, establishing the standards of diagnosis in the stenosis of the Chinese cervical spine, and cervical posterior approach laiminoplasty being explored firstly in China. It is encouraged that the surgery of ‘open-door cervical canal laminoplasty’ has been expanded to over 300 hospitals in China, which is thought to be the classic surgery for the cervical spine.
　　After the establishment of the cervical division, the research of the diagnosis and treatment for cervical spondylosis has been preceded along the stage more systemic, scientific and further. It was advocated that the long-term results of the cervical anterior approach surgery depending largely on the factors of developmental cervical canal stenosis and adjacent segmental secondary degeneration. So was pointed out that the epidural hematoma of the cervical laminoplasty after operations and paralysis of the C5 nerve root being the primary complications in the early postoperation period, and the measurements of prophylaxis and treatment providing, too. Meanwhile, it was firstly produced that the chronic compressive cervical spine cord disease relating to not only the loss the motor and sense of extremities, but also the damage of pulmonary ventilation. It was first reported in the world that chronic compression may lead to irreversible injury of the spine cord, on which to base the early surgery in cervical spondylotic myelopathy theoretically. In the year of 1999, the follow-up over ten years in open-door laminoplasty was made, proving its effect stable and persistent. The score evaluation (40 scores) was engaged in assessing the neurologic functions in term of the character of Chinese.
　　With the new concepts, technologies and theories developed rapidly since the 21 century, the basic and clinical research of the cervical spondylosis has enter the new era. It was found that a lot of sympathetic nerve fibers existing in the synovium of the cervical facet joints, which provide the primary study in China. The traumatic inflammation due to instability is ascertained correlating to the pathogesis of cervical spondylosis. The role of titanium plate in the cervical anterior approach was confirmed by a prospective, random and control test. The intervertebral fusion cages are first carried out in the anterior approach surgery, attaining a satisfied goal. Besides that, the decreasing range of motion and the axial syndromes are regarded as the important factors influencing the long-term results of cervical open-door laminoplasty. The innovations of anchoring surgery and the preservation of muscular-ligament complex are used, which decline the postoperation axial syndrome dramatically. We are the first to prefer the combined approach surgery for the complicating cervical spondylosis (e.g. multiple segmental antero-posterior compression in spine cord especially anterior more severe, CSM. combined with kyphosis etc.), the results excited. As for the cervical spondylotic sympathy, more research has been developped, enlarging the adjuvant diagnostic measurements and perfecting its theory, harvesting a better prognosis. The surgery of cervical artificial disc has been employed in the treatment of cervical spondylosis since 2003, completing over 200 cases, involving nearly 300 segments, achieving excellent outcomes. While the corresponding papers focusing on the basic and clinical research have been communicated with the foreign colleagues in the international conferences for several times, with the comprehensive research level advanced positioning throughout the world.
　　In recent years, the cervical group has also enforced the research of the other realms of the cervical surgery. The article of ‘the cervical spine cord injury without fracture or dislocation’ won the first prize by the education department on the scientific technology advancement in the year of 2003. Analysis on the reason and theraputic measurement for the disorder of the balance of water and electrolytes (persistent hyponatremia) after the injury of cervical spine cord is widely accepted by co-coworkers. Great breakthroughs have been made in the aspect of theraputic indications for the severe cervical kyphosis by the balancing suspending traction combined with surgery, curing many cases of congenital and developmental severe cervical kyphosis, one of which has a satisfied correction of congenital kyphosis arriving at 125°before operation. With the development of the technology of operation, on one hand, micro-traumatic regular operations become available, on the other hand, the challenge of complicating and difficult cases are not impossible any more. We are proud that the level of therapy is access to the counterparts abroad in the realm of treatment of congenital cervical deformity, cervical kyphotic deformity, cervical trauma and re-operation of the cervical spine
　　By now, over 1000 cases of cervical spondylosis have been operated in the group each year with 98% success rate and over 85% cases achieved excellent-good outcome. The average hospital stay is around 11 days, with less pain, and quick recovery. The some articles of national 863 highly technology development foundation, the health department key discipline article and key technologies R&D program are assumed in the cervical group.