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Abstract
Objectives
To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes by the method of three- level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with cervical plate.
Summary of Literature Review
The arthrodesis rate and outcome for patients having three- level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion procedures is disappointing. The success of arthrodesis depends on several factors including bone graft type, size, and additional anterior plate fixation.
Materials and Methods
Five patients (average age, 69 years; all males) were observed. All had a anterior discectomy, placement of autogenous tricortical iliac bone graft at three- levels and application of a Orion plate. Clinical and radiologic results of bony union, cervical lordosis and intervertebral disc height were assessed.
Results
All clinical symptoms of patients had been resolved after operation. The postoperative scores by the criteria of Odom are 2 in excellent and 3 in good. The bony unions were achieved in all cases in the average 12 weeks after surgery (minimum 8 weeks, maximum 20 weeks). The sum of three- level intervertebral disc height in average was increased from 14.8 mm preoperatively to 25.4 mm postoperatively. The average angle of cervical lordosis was corrected from 18o preoperatively to 27o postoperatively.
Conclusions
The three- level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with Orion plate and autogenous tricortical iliac bone graft results in effective surgical treatment, which produces good clinical outcome, early and solid bony union, restoration of the normal cervical lordosis and disc space height.
REFERENCES
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Figures and Tables%
Fig. 1.
Preoperative radiograph shows decreased cervical lordosis (160) with severe narrowing of disc space, osteophyte formation and spondylolisthesis C4.
Fig. 3.
3-level anterior discectomy and fusion was done by using autogenous tricortical iliac bone graft and Orion plate fixation. 12 weeks later, postoperative radiograph shows solid bony union and restoration of lordosis (340).
Table 1.
Odom's Criteria
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