Polylactic acid mesh reconstruction of the anterior iliac crest after bone harvesting reduces early postoperative pain after anterior cervical fusion surgery.
OBJECTIVE
Autologous iliac crest bone enhances the rate of spinal arthrodesis. However, graft site complications are common, with donor site pain being particularly troublesome. Reconstruction of the hip defect with an absorbable polylactic acid mesh to restore the bony cortical contour has been proposed to reduce hip pain.


METHODS
Thirty-nine consecutive patients treated by a single senior surgeon (BAG) during a 14-month period were studied. All patients had cervical spondylosis treated through an anterior approach supplemented with an autologous hip graft. Patients with preexisting hip pain were excluded. Pain was rated on a scale of 1 to 10 at 1 week and 3 months after surgery via a questionnaire. Postoperative pain medication regimens were standardized.


RESULTS
Thirty patients were available for follow-up, 15 with mesh implantation and 15 without. Hip pain in the mesh-treated group averaged 4.7 and 1.6 at 1 week and 3 months, respectively. Hip pain in the standard-treatment group averaged 6.9 and 2.5 at 1 week and 3 months, respectively. These differences were statistically significant (P = 0.004 at 1 wk and 0.055 at 3 mo). Hospital length of stay was shorter in the mesh-treated group (2.1 versus 3.2 d, respectively), but this difference was not statistically significant. Two patients without mesh treatment complained of the cosmetic defect resulting from absent bone, and three had temporary difficulty with hip eversion or flexion. Two patients in the mesh-treated group developed seromas, which were treated conservatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Reconstruction of the iliac crest reduces early postoperative pain. Other potential benefits may include shorter hospitalizations and a reduced incidence of hip weakness; however, careful attention to wound closure is necessary to prevent seroma formation.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33136, USA. myw@hsc.usc.edu
Michael Y
MY
Wang
Allan D O
AD
Levi
Sachin
S
Shah
Barth A
BA
Green
D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D004954:Esthetics; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006615:Hip; D006621:Hip Joint; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000601:surgery*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000601:surgery; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000009:adverse effects; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting
D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)