Comparison of Radiologic Outcomes of Different Methods in Single-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a choice of surgical procedure for cervical degenerative diseases associated with radiculopathy or myelopathy. However, the patients undergoing ACDF still have problems. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the radiologic results of 3 different methods in single-level ACDF.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective collection of radiological data from January 2011 to December 2014. A total of 67 patients were included in this study. The patients were divided into 3 groups by operation procedure: using stand-alone cage (group cage, n=20); polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK)-titanium combined anchored cage (group AC, n=21); and anterior cervical cage-plate (group CP, n=26). Global cervical lordosis (C2-C7 Cobb angle), fused segment height, fusion rate, and cervical range of motion (ROM) were measured and analyzed at serial preoperative, postoperative, 6-month, and final 1-year follow-up.

RESULTS: Successful bone fusion was achieved in all patients at the final follow-up examination; however, the loss of disc height over 3 mm at the surgical level was observed in 6 patients in group cage. Groups AC and CP yielded significantly better outcomes than group cage in fused segment height and cervical ROM(p=0.01 and p=0.02, respectively). Furthermore, group AC had similar radiologic outcomes to those of group CP.

CONCLUSION: The PEEK-titanium combined anchored cage may be a good alternative procedure in terms of reducing complications induced by plate after ACDF.