title: Peek cage-assisted anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at four levels: clinical and radiographic results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective clinical and radiographic study was to provide follow-up data on the surgical success and patient outcome of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage-assisted anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) at four levels. The literature on four-level ACDF is scanty, and the reported series are not enterely comparable because of differences in patient characteristics, types of spinal arthrodesis, and methods for quantitating outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the period between January 2003 and January 2005 10 patients (3 males and 7 females, with a mean age of 54.9 years) suffering from cervical myeloradiculopathy due to compressive spondylosys from C3-C4 to C6-C7 underwent PEEK cage-assisted ACDF at four levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No intra- or postoperative complications were noted. The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 24 months (mean 15.8 months). The NCSS score was 9.2+/-1.48 preoperatively and 12.7+/-0.67 at follow-up examination (P<0.05). Preoperatively, the curvature, range of motion (ROM), and height of the foramina of the cervical spine were 16.9+/-5.84 degrees , 27.6+/-3.5 degrees , and 8.1+/-2.33 mm respectively, whereas at follow-up evaluation they were 19.5+/-7.03 degrees (P>0.05), 22.2+/-3.43 degrees (P<0.05), and 10.6+/-1.71 mm (P<0.05) respectively. None of the patients showed pre- or postoperative cervical instability. The fusion rate was 97.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEEK cage-assisted ACDF at four levels is an effective procedure for the treatment of patients with spondylotic compression of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots from C3-C4 to C6-C7.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Pineta Grande Hospital, Castel Volturno, Caserta, Italy. buccieroa@libero.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bucciero
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Piscopo
mesh_terms: D001174:Arthrodesis; D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007659:Ketones; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011108:Polymers; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007659:Ketones; D011108:Polymers; C063834:polyetheretherketone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols