Reducing Dysphagia Following Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: Insights From a Meta-Analysis.

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies. The analysis focused on the influence of surgical duration, the number of cervical levels treated, and implant types. A total of 21 studies were included, and heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using the I² statistic.  The results indicated that longer surgeries, multi-level procedures, and certain implant designs were associated with an increased risk of dysphagia. In contrast, low-profile implants and stand-alone cage systems demonstrated a reduced risk compared to traditional plate-and-cage constructs. Anterior plates and specific cage designs were linked to higher dysphagia rates. The findings suggest that the risk of dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS) is influenced by the length of surgery, the number of motion segments treated, and implant design. Optimizing these factors could help reduce postoperative complications and improve patient outcomes.