[Post-discectomy cervical fusion. Clinico-radiological study comparing iliac crest bone graft, anterior cervical plate with bone graft and cage-plate GD].

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical and radiologically three methods of cervical arthrodesis after anterolateral one-level discectomy for non-traumatic disk disease.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Three groups of patients were studied retrospectively. In group 1 (20 patients) a tricortical autologous iliac crest bone interbody graft was used. In group 2 (10 patients) the bone graft was associated to an anterior cervical plate (Stryker). In group 3 (10 patients) a cage-plate filled with iliac crest trabecular bone was implanted (plate-cage GD). Clinical and radiological parameters were recorded preoperatively and 6-9 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

There was a significant clinical improvement in all three groups, with similar complications and hospitalization time. There were not hard-ware failures. There was a significant increase in the disc height in group 3 when compared with group 1 and a significant correction of the preoperative kyphosis in group 3 in relation to both group 1 and 2: There was a significant increase in postoperative radiological stability rate and also in the operative time in groups 2 and 3 when compared with group 1.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical arthrodesis after discectomy is an useful method for treatment of cervicobrachialgia. Arthrodesis with internal fixation achieves best clinical and radiological results and it has some other advantages in relation to bone graft artrhodesis. GD cage-plate minimizes the surgical and clinical problems associated with use of bone graft and cervical plate and reaches the best radiological performances.