RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of nontraumatic spinal cord injury. Surgery aims to arrest neurological decline and improve conditions, but controversies surround risks and benefits in elderly patients, outcomes in mild myelopathy, and the risk of adjacent segment disease (ASD). METHODS: Retrospective data of patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for DCM in our hospital were collected. Patients were stratified by preoperative modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) (mild, moderate, severe) and age (under 70, over 70). Clinical outcomes, complications, and ASD rate were analyzed. We evaluated the relationship between mJOA recovery rate and the risk of complications and various preoperative parameters. RESULTS: Five hundred seven consecutive patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 43.52 months (12-71). Improvement in all outcome variables was observed in mild, moderate, and severe myelopathy categories, with elderly patients showing a lower improvement. Except for age, no other variable correlated with mJOA recovery rate. We observed 45 complications (11.1% of patients), with 14 in the U70 group and 31 in the O70 group (P value < 0.001). Age, Charlson comorbidity index, and ASA score were found to be predictors of complications. Fourteen patients (2.8% of total), mean age 54.2, developed radiological and clinical ASD. Most had cranial-level ASD with Pfirmann grade ≥ 2 before index surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Most myelopathic patients improve after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Elderly patients show a lower improvement and higher complication rates than their younger counterparts. ASD rates are low, and younger patients with preexisting cranial level alterations are more susceptible.