title: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage filled with cancellous allograft in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
abstract: From July 2004 to June 2005, 19 patients with 25 discs underwent anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion (ACDF) in which polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cages were filled with freeze-dried cancellous allograft bone. This kind of bone graft was made from femoral condyle that was harvested during total knee arthroplasty. Patient age at surgery was 52.9 (28-68) years. All patients were followed up at least 1 year. We measured the height of the disc and segmental sagittal angulation by pre-operative and post-operative radiographs. CT scan of the cervical spine at 1 year was used to evaluate fusion rates. Odom's criteria were used to assess the clinical outcome. All interbody disc spaces achieved successful union at 1-year follow-up. The use of a PEEK cage was found to increase the height of the disc immediately after surgery (5.0 mm pre-operatively, 7.3 mm immediately post-operatively). The final disc height was 6.2 mm, and the collapse of the disc height was 1.1 mm. The segmental lordosis also increased after surgery (2.0 degrees pre-operatively, 6.6 degrees immediately post-operatively), but the mean loss of lordosis correction was 3.3 degrees at final follow-up. Seventy-four percent of patients (14/19) exhibited excellent/good clinical outcomes. Analysis of the results indicated the cancellous allograft bone-filled PEEK cage used in ACDF is a good choice for patients with cervical disc disease, and avoids the complications of harvesting iliac autograft.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics, Chang Gung University, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chi-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Wen-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lih-Huei
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018775:Bone Demineralization Technique; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery*; D007659:Ketones; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011108:Polymers; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007659:Ketones; D011108:Polymers; C063834:polyetheretherketone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols