title: Anterior cervical fusion for degenerated or protruded discs. A review of one hundred forty-six patients.
abstract: The results of 146 patients with anterior cervical intervertebral disc removal and fusions are reviewed. The diagnosis was cervical spondylosis in 75%, disc protrusion in 16%, and spondylosis at one level with disc protrusions at another in 9%. There were 81 women and 65 men with an average age of 48 +/- 9 years. The average follow-up was 5 +/- 3.3 years. The rate of fusion was 97%. Complete pain relief occurred in 78%, partial in 18% and little or no pain relief in 4%. There were no serious complications, and none of the patients thought they were made worse by surgery.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors