Asian Spine J.  2013 Dec;7(4):289-293. 10.4184/asj.2013.7.4.289.

Cervical Foraminal and Discal Height after Dynamic Rotational Plating in the Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

• Park JO
• Park MS
• Moon SH
• Kim IS
• Kim SW
• Kim YC
• Kim TH
• Suh BK
• Nam JH
• Lee HM

• KMID: 2270409
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4184/asj.2013.7.4.289

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective study. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of the dynamic rotational plate to the intervertebral foraminal and discal height after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: There is no report regarding the changes of foraminal and discal height following cervical dynamic rotational plating.
METHODS
We reviewed the outcomes of 30 patients (36 levels), who were followed-up for an average of 15 months (range, 12-57 months) after undergoing fusions with anterior cervical dynamic rotational plating for cervical radiculopathy, from March 2005 to February 2009. The changes of foraminal and intervertebral discal height of the operated levels were observed on oblique and lateral radiographs obtained at the preoperative, postoperative and follow-up examinations.
RESULTS
The foraminal and discal height increased sufficiently, immediately following the operation. However, follow-up results showed gradual decrease in the foraminal and discal height. After 6 months of the surgery, they showed little difference compared with the preoperative heights. However, clinically, patients showed improvements in radiating pain during the follow-up period.
CONCLUSIONS
Anterior cervical dynamic rotational plating was an effective treatment modality for cervical radiculopathy without the deterioration of the foraminal and intervertebral discal height.

Keyword

Cervical spine; Cervical radiculopathy; Dynamic rotational plate

MeSH Terms

Diskectomy*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Intervertebral Disc
Radiculopathy
Retrospective Studies