Late radiographic findings after the anterior cervical fusion for the cervical subaxial compressive flexion and vertical compression injuries in young patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of patients' age on the development of radiologic signs of degeneration of adjacent levels after the anterior fusion for the cervical spine injuries.


METHODS
A total of 45 patients who had compressive flexion and vertical compression injuries of the cervical spine (by Ferguson-Allen mechanistic classification) were included in the study. There were 40 male and 5 female patients with a mean age of 31.5 years (range 15-64). These patients were treated with anterior decompression, iliac bone grafting, and anterior plating. Twenty-two patients aged less than 30 years were in the first group; 23 individuals more than 30 years of age were in the second group. A long-term radiologic follow-up involved assessment of the fusion and examination of the changes at levels immediately above and below the fused vertebrae.


RESULTS
Hypermobility of the disc space above the fused vertebra was found in 9 (40.9%) patients from the first group vs. 3 (13%) from the second one (P<0.05). Narrowing and osteophytes of the disc space below the fused vertebra was found in 2 (9.1%) patients from the first group vs. 10 (43.5%) from the second one (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Hypermobility of the motion segment above the fused vertebra was found more frequently in patients aged less than 30 years. Narrowing and osteophytes of the disc space below the fused vertebra were found more frequently in older patients.
Spakauskas
Bronius
B
Department of Neurosurgery, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2, Kaunas, Lithuania. spak@takas.lt
Ambrozaitis
Kazys Vytautas
KV
Tamasauskas
Arimantas
A
Kontautas
Egidijus
E
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors