A new study published in Spine examines adjacent segment disease after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
The researchers examined 672 patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy between January 2000 and December 2010. The average follow-up was 31 months. Here are five findings from the study:
1. There were 101 patients — 15 percent — of the patients underwent revision surgery.
2. Adjacent segment disease was the reason for the revision surgery in 47 procedures — 47.5 percent of the patients.
3. Pseudarthrosis was the reason for the revision in 45 patients, which is 45.5 percent of the patients.
4. A new problem at a nonadjacent level was the reason for a revision in seven patients — 7.1 percent of the patients.
5. The reason for revision wasn't affected by these factors:
• Patient age
• Sex
• Body mass index
• Smoking status
• Symptoms at presentation
• The number of levels fused
• Plate-to-disc distance
• Graft type