[A prospective randomized comparison between with or without instrumentation in short-level anterior discectomy and autograft bone fusion].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate anterior cervical plating in short-level anterior discectomy and autograft bone fusion.


METHODS
Eighty-one patients who underwent one- and two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion were randomized to 2 groups, with or without instrumentation. Among them, 55 patients were followed up. The mean follow-up time was (22 +/- 7) months. Fusion rate, disc height and cervical lordotic alignment were assessed by radiographs.


RESULTS
The improving rates were 68% in non-instrumented group and 58% in instrumented group, respectively (P > 0.05). The fusion rate was 93% in the non-instrumented group and 100% in the later one. The disc height was decreased (0.7 +/- 1.0) mm in the former group and increased (1.2 +/- 0.6) mm in the later one (P < 0.01). Although the postoperative cervical lordotic alignment was maintained better in instrumented group, the difference was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Anterior cervical plating can make good influence on the result of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in some degree.
Pang
Sheng-Fa
SF
Department of Orthopedic, the Third Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100083, China. panshengfa@vip.sina.com
Li
Mai
M
Wang
Shao-Bo
SB
Zhang
Feng-Shan
FS
Sun
Yu
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome