Comparison of constrained and non-constrained titanium plates in the anterior cervical corpectomy in elderly cervical spondylosis / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy and radiologic changes between constrained and non-constrained titanium plate in anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) in elderly cervical spondylosis patients.Methods A total of 58 elderly cervical spondylosis patients who underwent ACCF were divided into group 1 (patients treated with constrained titanium plates,n =30) and group 2 (patients treated with non-constrained titanium plates,n=28).The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score,fusion rate,the loss of segmental height and cervical lordosis were recorded.The clinical efficacy and imaging features were compared between the two groups.Results The improvement rate of JOA score had no significant differences between group 1 and group 2 [(77.7±18.6)％ vs.(75.8±23.2)％,t=0.340,P＞0.05].At 3 months after operation,the fusion rate was higher in group 2 than in group 1 (89.3％ vs.63.3％,x2 =5.327,P＜0.05).At 3,6 and 12 months after operation,there were no significant differences in the loss of segmental cervical height and lordosis between group 1 and group 2 [(2.42±3.05)mm vs.(0.98±2.86)mm,(3.95±3.65)mm vs.(2.34±2.97)mm,(3.60±4.33)mm vs.(2.40±2.96)mm,(1.64±2.33)° vs.(0.66 ± ±2.14)°,(2.13∧±±3.79)° vs.(0.70±2.99)°,(2.39±4.26)° vs.(0.86±3.25)°,respectively,all P ＞0.05].Conclusions The clinical efficacy is similar in ACCF with the two types of titanium plates.The non-constrained titanium plate can increase the fusion rate in early time,but may aggravate the loss of segmental cervical height and lordosis,which should be used with caution in elderly osteoporosis patients.