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A comparison of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self-locking stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage with ACDF using cage and plate in the treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy: a retrospective study with 2-year follow-up

European Spine Journal volume 25, pages 2255–2262 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and radiological outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self-locking polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages for treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy.

Methods

Twenty-eight patients underwent three-level ACDF using self-locking stand-alone PEEK cages (group A), and 26 patients underwent three-level ACDF using cages and plate fixation (group B) were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by pre- and post-operative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and Neck Disability Index (NDI). The operation time, blood loss, surgical results according to Odom’s criteria and post-operative dysphagia status were also recorded. Radiological outcomes including fusion, cervical Cobb’s lordosis, fused segment angle, disc height, and cage subsidence were assessed.

Results

Clinical outcome measures such as dysphagia and fusion rate and the results of surgery evaluated according to Odom’s criteria were not statistically significant (P > 0.05) between groups. The operation time was shorter and blood loss was less in group A (P < 0.05). The NDI and JOA scores showed significant improvements in both groups after surgery at each time point (P < 0.05) with no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05). Post-operative cage subsidence, the loss of disc height, cervical lordosis and the fused segment angle were relatively higher in group A than group B (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

ACDF using self-locking stand-alone cages showed similar clinical results as compared to ACDF using cages and plate fixation for the treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy. However, potential long-term problems such as cage subsidence, loss of cervical lordosis and fused segment angle post-operatively were shown to be associated with patients who underwent ACDF using self-locking stand-alone cages.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Spinal Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China

    Yuqiao Chen, Guohua Lü, Bing Wang, Lei Li & Lei Kuang

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  1. Yuqiao Chen
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  2. Guohua Lü
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  3. Bing Wang
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  4. Lei Li
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  5. Lei Kuang
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Correspondence to Lei Kuang.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the studies.

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Chen, Y., Lü, G., Wang, B. et al. A comparison of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using self-locking stand-alone polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage with ACDF using cage and plate in the treatment of three-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy: a retrospective study with 2-year follow-up. Eur Spine J 25, 2255–2262 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4391-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4391-x

Keywords

  • Spondylosis
  • Internal fixators
  • Stand-alone anchored cage
  • Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
  • Retrospective studies