[Clinical and radiological assessment of anterior cervical discectomy]

ABSTRACT

Cervical discectomy has a high success rate. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and radiological results of anterior cervical discectomy. This was a retrospective study in which its emphasis was on surgical outcomes in patients operated with anterior fusion surgery method along with artificial cage. The study was conducted on 43 patients who underwent standard Smith-Robinson technique. Postoperative follow-up period was 2 years. Clinical assessment was done through Odom criteria, Neck disability index and VAS. The mean age of patients was 50 y. The most common symptom was neck pain and sensory disorder was the most prevalent sign. The most common level involved was C5-6. The mean medical treatment period was 4.5 months. Motor defect and neck pain were the main reasons of surgery. According to Odom Criteria, 80% of patients had reasonable satisfaction after surgery. Also, on the basis of neck disability index and visual analog scale of neck and associated pain, patients had significant improvement. The rate of successful fusion was 95%. Due to the possibility of complete discectomy and complete removal of compression, anterior surgery approach is preferred over the posterior one.