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65th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

11 - 14 May 2014, Dresden

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Clinical and radiological outcome following one and two level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with stand-alone empty PEEK cages

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  • Ehab Shiban - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München
  • Karina Kapon - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München
  • Haiko Pape - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München
  • Maria Wostrack - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München
  • Bernhard Meyer - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München
  • Jens Lehmberg - Neurochirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, München

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 65. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC). Dresden, 11.-14.05.2014. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2014. DocDI.13.06

doi: 10.3205/14dgnc191, urn:nbn:de:0183-14dgnc1916

Published: May 13, 2014

© 2014 Shiban et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective: To evaluate long-term results after one and two level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with stand-alone Empty PEEK cages.

Method: We performed a retrospective review of a consecutive patient cohort that underwent ACDF with stand-alone empty PEEK cages between 2007 and 2010 with a minimum of 12 Months. Radiographic follow-up included static and flexion/extension radiographs. Changes in the operated segments were measured and compared to radiographs directly after surgery. Clinical outcome was evaluated by a physical exam, pain VAS and the EuroQOL questionnaire (EQ-5D).

Results: From 359 consecutive cases, 49 were foreigners and 11 were dead due to surgery unrelated reasons. Follow-up data was obtained from 256 out of 299 eligible patients (86%). The mean age at presentation was 55 years, 131 patients were male (51%). 137 and 119 patients had one- two-level surgeries, respectively. 125 (48%) presented with spondylotic cervical myelopathy and 131 (52%) with cervical radiculopathy. Fusion was achieved in 97% and 95% levels in one- and two-level surgeries, respectively. The alignment of the whole cervical spine worsened in 21 (15%) and 19 (16%) in one and two level surgeries, respectively (according to the Katsuura and Laing methods). Follow-up operations for symptomatic adjacent disc disease or implant failure at index level were needed in 10 (4%) and 3 (1%) cases, respectively. Mean VAS declined from 6,7 to 2,2. Improvement or stability was observed in all dimensions of the EQ-5D.

Conclusions: One and two level ACDF with stand-alone empty PEEK cages achieved very high fusion rates, low rate of follow-up operations. Clinical outcome is highly satisfactory.