ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion have a high incidence of dysphagia, which may be associated with a variety of factors. The specific mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the related factors of dysphagia after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with cervical degenerative disc disease receiving single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2011 to January 2015. During hospitalization, basic patient data and surgery-related data were recorded, including operation time, intraoperative blood loss, surgical segment, internal fixation device and the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2. The cervical alignment and prevertebral soft tissue swelling were measured preoperatively and 3 days postoperatively. At 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively, the Bazaz swallowing function scoring system was used to assess the swallowing of the patients. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 262 patients undergoing single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion were involved. The incidence of dysphagia at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively was 35.9%, 22.9%, 15.6%, 11.5% and 9.2% respectively. Univariate analysis showed that gender, operation time and course length were associated with postoperative dysphagia. Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that the duration of operation (≥ 3 hours), female and course length (≥ 8 months) were risk factors for dysphagia after anterior cervical descectomy and fusion. Operation time and female may be associated with early and middle dysphagia postoperatively, and the course length may be associated with chronic dysphagia. Prevertebral soft tissue swelling and other factors are not related to dysphagia after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Risk factors for dysphagia after multi-level fusion should be further studied.