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
More articles on spine surgery:
5 key trends on spinal fusion BMP use after 2008
How do your patients define success? Probably differently than you do
Outlook for cervical disc replacement: Rosy, with the right data
