Clinical and Radiologic Assessment for Anterior Cervical Interbody Fusion with Synthetic Cages

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This purpose of this study was to determine the clinical efficiency and applicability, and to analyze the radiologic findings of the anterior cervical approach using two synthetic cages for interbody fusion. METHODS: A total of 41 patients with cervical diseases underwent anterior discectomy and interbody fusion with the PEEK Solis(TM) cage in 21 patients and the carbon composite Osta-Pek(TM) cage in 20 patients. Outcome assessment was done using Odom's criteria. Radiological assessment was performed with respect to subsidence, bony fusion and lordosis. The mean follow-up period was 13 months. RESULTS: There were 34 (92.9%) successful cases. The average height of the disc space 12 months after surgery compared to the height before surgery was increased in 28 cases. The height of the disc space 12 months after surgery compared to the height just after surgery was decreased over 3mm in 4 cases, indicating severe subsidence. The use of these synthetic cages have provided the increase in postoperative cervical lordosis. CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences between the Solis(TM) and Osta-Pek(TM) cages on clinical and radiologic outcomes. Both Solis(TM) and Osta-Pek(TM) cages showed low subsidences and complications associated with hardware with good clinical outcomes, high fusion rates, restored disc heights, and restored cervical lordosis.