Clinical Experience with Double Cylindrical Cages for Anterior Cervical Interbody Fusion

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We performed the surgery using titanium double cylindrical cage for anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion in various degenerative cervical diseases. We compared the clinical results and radiologic results in cervical anterior disectomy. Method: From October 2007 to October 2008, 19 patients diagnosed with degenerative disease underwent anterior cervical disectomy and interbody fusion. The postsurgical clinical results were analyzed retrospectively by classifying them into four levels based on Odom's criteria(excellent, good, fair, and poor) after a more than 6-month follow-up period. RESULTS: In all cases, a single segment was involved, and surgery was performed for 19 segments. The C5-C6 inter-vertebral disc was the most commonly affected(9 cases). The clinical outcome was excellent, good, and fair in 5(26.3 %), 10(52.6%), and 4(21.0%) cases, respectively. An excellent or good outcome was considered as a successful result, showing an approximately 78.9% cure rate. No patient had aggravated symptoms compared with their preoperative status. CONCLUSION: Relatively satisfactory clinical and radiographic results were obtained with double cylindrical cages. The surgical method is relatively simple, allows good synostosis, and prevents many complications associated with autografting. It is also less traumatic to the spinal cord during cage insertion. Therefore, double cylindrical cages are generally more recommended for treating cervical spondylosis accompanied with flat cages.