title: Anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion with porous tantalum implant. Results in a series with long-term follow-up.
abstract: Few papers have been published about the anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with implant of porous tantalum cages. These studies included patients submitted to operation at a single level. To our knowledge, we report the results of the largest series of ACDF with implant of porous tantalum cages. Our series included patients operated at a single or double level with a long follow-up (FU). We also discuss the pertinent literature. Clinical and outcome data of 99 consecutive patients (47 men, 52 women) submitted to ACDF with implant of porous tantalum cages (Trabecular Metal TM-S Cervical Fusion Device, Zimmer Spine, Minneapolis, MN) from June 2007 to September 2012, were retrospectively reviewed. Mean FU was 67.47±19.63months. The changes in pain were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Patients were evaluated pre-operatively and at FU with the Short Form-36 Score Health Survey Version 2.0 (SF-36v2) for Physical Health and Mental Health Scores and the Neck Disability Index. We globally found a statistically significant improvement of all evaluated scores. Patients operated at two levels experienced a statistically significant improvement of all scores, with no statistical difference compared to patients operated at one level. No major complications occurred post-operatively and at FU. Only one patient (operated at two level) experienced an infection during FU. We conclude that ACDF with porous tantalum cages is a safe procedure, with long term clinical benefits (also in patients operated at two levels) and a very low rate of complications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Papacci
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigante
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meglio
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, Rome 00168, Italy. Electronic address: nicolamontanomd@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016062:Porosity; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013635:Tantalum; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013635:Tantalum
keywords: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion; Cervical disc herniation; Porous tantalum cages spine