Cervical foraminal area and intervertebral height changes after titanium ring cage placement: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of titanium ring cage implantation on cervical foraminal area and intervertebral height.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients with single level cervical disc herniation were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent a standard anterior cervical discectomy followed by titanium ring cage implantation. Radiographs were used for evaluation of the cervical foraminal area and intervertebral height in the pre- and postoperative periods.


RESULTS
Mean intervertebral heights were 0.7 +/- 0.1 cm (preoperative), 1.1 +/- 0.2 cm (early postoperative) and 0.9 +/- 0.2 (final measurement). Increase in intervertebral height at final follow-up was 0.2+/-0.1 cm (22.6+/-8.5%). Mean cervical foraminal areas were 0.4+/-0.1 cm2 (preoperative), 0.5 +/- 0.2 cm2 (early postoperative) and 0.5 +/- 0.1 cm2 (final measurement). Increase in cervical foraminal area at the final follow-up was 0.1 +/- 0.1 cm2.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates that cervical intervertebral height and cervical foraminal area significantly increased after cervical ring cage placement but subsidence during the follow-up period negatively affects foraminal area. However, overall, there was a relative increase of foraminal area and intervertebral height when compared with preoperative values. Long-term follow-up is required to further assess the subsidence rate.
Colpan
Mustafa Efkan
ME
SSK Ankara Education and Research Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey. colpan@iit.edu
Attar
Ayhan
A
Sekerci
Zeki
Z
Tuna
Hakan
H
Egemen
Nihat
N
D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011187:Posture; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D011859:Radiography; D014025:Titanium
D014025:Titanium