title: A Sternum-Disk Distance Method to Identify the Skin Level for Approaching a Surgical Segment without Fluoroscopy Guidance during Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion.
abstract: METHODS
  A retrospective review of prospectively collected data.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To introduce the sternum-disk distance (SDD) method for approaching the exact surgical level without C-arm guidance during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery and to evaluate its accuracy and reliability.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although spine surgeons have tried to optimize methods for identifying the skin level for accessing the operative disk level without C-arm guidance during ACDF, success has rarely been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 103 patients who underwent single-level ACDF surgery with the SDD method were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was the accuracy of the SDD method. The secondary outcome measures were the mean SDD value at each cervical level from the cranial margin of the sternum in the neutral and extension positions of the cervical spine and the inter- and intra-observer reliability of the SDD outcome determined using repeated measurements by three orthopedic spine surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SDD accuracy (primary outcome measure) was indicated in 99% of the patients (102/103). The mean SDD values in the neutral-position magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were 108.8 mm at C3-C4, 85.3 mm at C4-C5, 64.4 mm at C5-C6, 44.3 mm at C6-C7, and 24.1 mm at C7-T1; and those in the extension-position MRI were 112.9 mm at C3-C4, 88.7 mm at C4-C5, 67.3 mm at C5-C6, 46.5 mm at C6-C7, and 24.3 mm at C7-T1. The Cohen kappa coefficient value for intra-observer reliability was 0.88 (excellent reliability), and the Fleiss kappa coefficient value for inter-observer reliability as reported by three surgeons was 0.89 (excellent reliability).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the results of the present study, we recommend performing ACDF surgery using the SDD method to determine the skin level for approaching the surgical cervical segment without fluoroscopic guidance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Gun Woo
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Myun-Whan
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pohang Semyeng Christianty Hospital, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Uh
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pohang Semyeng Christianty Hospital, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pohang Semyeng Christianty Hospital, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pohang Semyeng Christianty Hospital, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Sungnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.affiliation: Spine Center and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pohang Semyeng Christianty Hospital, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo-Gun
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Suh
keywords: Cervical vertebrae; Fluoroscopy; Magnetic resonance imaging; Spinal fusion; Sternum-disk distance method