ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Anterior cervical decompression and bone graft fusion is always the standard operation type for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and myelopathy. However, secondary degeneration and new symptoms caused by the stress increase of adjacent segments following anterior cervical spinal fusion have been paid more and more attention. Artificial cervical disc replacement provides a new choice for the treatment of cervical syndrome.OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of BRYAN& artificial cervical disc displacement for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and myelopathy.DESIGN: Self-control experiment.SETTING: Department of Orthopaedics, Sixth Hospital of Ningbo.PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and/or myelopathy admitted to the Department of Orthopaedics, Sixth Hospital of Ningbo were involved between December 2003 and February 2005 were involved in the study. Informed consents were obtained, and all participates were approved by Medical Ethics Committee.There were 9 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, and 8 patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.BRYAN& artificial cervical disc system is an artificial cervical intervertebral disc with composite structure. It is constructed by two titanium alloy end plates and polymer core, which can bear loading and took polyisocyanate as matrix.METHODS: BRYAN& artificial cervical disc system was used in the treatment. All the patients underwent single-segment displacement. Two patients underwent the displacement at C3-4, five at C4-5, 8 at C5-6 and 2 at C6-7. At postoperative 1, 3and 6 months, X-ray lateral position, anteflexion position, posterior extension position, the left and right side dynamic position plains were taken to investigate prosthetic stability. Neurologic function was evaluated according to Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Investigating whether or not prosthesis displaced by means of dynamic position plains.② Investigating the recovery of neurologic function by JOA scoring system.RESULTS: ①JOA average scores were elevated to 15 from preoperative 8.5. Nervous system symptoms had improved to different extents, and the mean improvement rate was 75%. At postoperative 1,3 and 6 months, all the patients were followed up and their X-ray plains of cervical lateral position and flexion-extension position showed good stability,indicating that motor function was not lost obviously. No heterotopic ossification was found around the prothesis. ②Wound infection was not found in any patient. At postoperative 3 months, less than 2 mm slight displacement appeared in the prothesis in one patient, and there were no obvious symptoms. Prothesis abrasion, subsidence, bone bridge formation and other rejections were not found in the other prothesis. Prothesis had good biocompatibility, and could be examined by routine CT and MRI.CONCLUSION: Artificial cervical disc replacement can obviously improve the symptoms of patients, and has good therapeutic effects in the treatment of cervical syndrome.