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Zero-profile anchored cage reduces risk of postoperative dysphagia compared with cage with plate fixation after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

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Abstract

Purpose

To compare the rate of postoperative dysphagia between zero-profile anchored cage fixation (ZPC group) and cage with plate fixation (CP group) after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Methods

A meta-analysis of cohort studies between zero-profile anchored cage and conventional cage with plate fixation after ACDF for the treatment of cervical diseases from 2008 to May 2016. An extensive search of studies was performed in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane library and Google Scholar. Dysphagia rate was extracted. Data analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.2.

Results

Sixteen trials involving 1066 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results suggested that the ZPC group were associated with lower incidences of dysphagia than the CP group at postoperative immediately, 2 weeks, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months. In subgroup analysis, although significant differences were only found in the mild dysphagia at 3 and 6 months postoperatively and in the moderate dysphagia at 2 weeks after surgery; the ZPC group had a lower rate of postoperative dysphagia than the CCP group in short, medium and long term follow-up periods.

Conclusions

Zero-profile anchored cage had a lower risk of postoperative dysphagia than cage with plate.

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Correspondence to JinPei Ning.

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We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, and there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled. We would like to thank the other colleague for their contributions to the study, who are as follows: Quan Li, GuoDong Li, EnMao He, ShiXin Pan.

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This is a meta-analysis of previous reports, so ethical approval is not necessary.

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Xiao, S., Liang, Z., Wei, W. et al. Zero-profile anchored cage reduces risk of postoperative dysphagia compared with cage with plate fixation after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Eur Spine J 26, 975–984 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-016-4914-5

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