title: Titanium cages versus autogenous iliac crest bone grafts in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion treatment of patients with cervical degenerative diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A systematic review and partial meta-analysis is conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of anterior cervical decompression and fusion procedures employing either rectangular titanium cages or iliac crest autografts in patients suffering from cervical degenerative disc diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, PubMed, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to June 2015, using the key words cervical discectomy; bone transplantation; titanium cages; and iliac crest autografts. Outcomes of interbody fusion rates were compared using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Values of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, and visual analog scale before and after operation were also compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of interbody fusion was similar between patients in the iliac crest autograft and titanium cage groups (pooled OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.07 to 1.66, P = .178). The overall analysis showed that patients in the two groups did not have significantly different post-surgery Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (pooled difference in means = -0.05, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.63, P = .876). Improvement in arm and neck pain scores were assessed with a visual analog scale and differed significantly between patients in the iliac crest autograft and titanium cage groups (pooled difference in means = 0.16, 95% CI = -0.44 to 0.76, P = .610; and pooled difference in means = -0.44, 95% CI = -2.23 to 1.36, P = .634, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the use of titanium cages constitutes a safe and efficient alternative to iliac crest bone autografts for anterior cervical discectomy with fusion.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedics , Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Ming-Hao
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedics , Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedics , Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedics , Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Hao-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedics , Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Fei-Zhou
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Lyu
mesh_terms: D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000637:transplantation*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D014025:Titanium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium
keywords: Bone transplantation; cervical discectomy; lliac crest autografts; titanium cages