Bone graft fusion in the treatment of two-level contiguous cervical disc herniation:titanium mesh versus interbody fusion cage / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that different types of anterior cervical surgery in the treatment of two-level contiguous cervical disc herniation can obtain satisfactory results, but which method is the best has not yet reached a consensus. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of three types of anterior cervical surgery for treating two-level contiguous cervical disc herniation. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 62 patients with two-level contiguous cervical disc herniation who underwent anterior decompression and fusion. These patients were assigned to three groups. Bone graft group received anterior cervical discectomy with autogenous iliac bone graft fusion. Titanium mesh group received anterior cervical corpectomy with titanium mesh fusion. Cage group received anterior cervical discectomy with cage fusion. Fusion rate of bone graft and improvement of neurological function (Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores) were evaluated and compared after treatment in the three groups. Cervical vertebra anteroposterior and lateral images were used to measure height of anterior and posterior margin of vertebral body and Cobb angle changes of fusion segment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Al 62 patients were fol owed up and the fol ow-up time was ranged from 8 to 30 months. Operation time was significantly longer in the bone graft group than in the titanium mesh and Cage groups (P 0.05). The fusion rate of bone graft was higher in the bone graft group than in the titanium mesh and Cage groups (P 0.05). The increase in the height of posterior margin was higher in the Cage group than in the bone graft group and titanium mesh group (P 0.05). These findings indicated that the three kinds of fusion method for treating two-level contiguous cervical disc herniation could obviously lessen nervous systems and improve cervical vertebra functions. In the bone graft group, operation time was long. Intraoperative blood loss was more. Postoperative height loss of the posterior margin of the vertebral body was visible. Cervical lordosis could be easily induced. Compared with the bone graft group, titanium mesh and Cage groups could better maintain the height and curvature of the cervical vertebra, but the Cage group had apparent advantages.