Anterior Cervical Fusion with or without Plates after Discectomy in Cervical Spondylosis

Jeon, Tae Hyung; Sung, Joo Kyung

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of anterior cervical plate after discectomy and autologous iliac bone graft in the treatment of cervical spondylosis. One hundred and seven cervical spondylotic patients from Jan. 1995 to Mar. 1998 were separated into two groups: Group 1. consisted of 58 patients treated with anterior discectomy, bone fusion, and anterior cervical plate fixations(54 cases of Caspar nonlocking plate and 4 cases of Orion locking plate system), Group 2. consisted of 49 patients treated with anterior discectomy and bone fusion. The mean follow-up duration was 26.5 months(from 6 to 45 months). The overall fusion rate did not showed any difference between the two groups, but in multi-level patients, graft materials related complications(extrusion or collapse of graft) were significantly high in group 2.(p<0.01). Group 1. patients ambulated on POD 1 with Philadelphia collar. The average admission period was 8.4 days following operation. Group 2. patients ambulated on POD 5-7 with Philadelphia collar. The average admission period was 11.9 days after surgery. In conclusion, bony fusion was successfully achieved in both groups and graft materials related complication rate showed no difference in the single level, but was significantly low in group 1 in the multilevel.