[Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a comparison between interbody cage and autograft iliac crest bone fusion]

ABSTRACT

Considering some contraversies in performing anterior cervical discectomy with fusion and particularley several methods of fusion [interbody cage and autograft iliac crest bone fusion], we performed this study between 1383-1384 in order to compare these two type of fusion. In this randomized clinical trial study we divided forty sequentially enrolled patients into two distinct groups. Diagnosis was made based on clinical examination and MRI findings. All patients underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, using cervical interbody cage or outograft iliac crest bone. Efficacy of fusion, complications relate with bone graft harvested site and also the time between operation and returning to daily activity was evaluated. Two groups were fairly similar in variables such as age, sex, clinical presentation and involved disc level distribution. In the first post-opertive day, 90% of patients in the cage group complained of Neck pain which was reduced to 60%, 25% and 5% at the end of the first week, first month and first post-operative year, respectively. These result were 95%, 55%, 35% and 10% in iliac group patients, respectively. Although segmental kyphosis was observed in one patient in cage group and two patients in iliac bone group, there was no evidence of progression requiring further surgical intervention. Time of operation was shorter in cage group. Regarding the soild fusion achieved in cage group and lack of any significant pain corresponding bone graft harvested site complications in this group, cervical interbody cage can be a reasonable alternative method for iliac crest bone graft in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion