Cage with anterior plating is advantageous over the stand-alone cage for segmental lordosis in the treatment of two-level cervical degenerative spondylopathy: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare retrospectively the clinical and radiological outcomes in cervical spinal alignment after two consecutive levels PEEK cage-assisted ACDF when performed with or without plate fixation PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight patients underwent two consecutive levels PEEK cage-assisted ACDF without plating (56 patients) or supplemented with plating (22 patients). The average clinical follow-up was 31.40±12.98months. The authors compared clinical parameters (Neck disability index and Robinson criteria), perioperative parameters (hospital stays, complications), and radiological parameters (global lordotic curvature, segmental lordosis, segmental height).

RESULTS: Demographic features, neurological presentation, preoperative sagittal alignment, postoperative complications, length of hospitalization and clinical improvement were not different between groups. At 12-months radiological follow-up, the global lordotic curvature was similar in both groups (P=0.02). However, the use of anterior plate fixation versus stand-alone cage was associated with greater segmental lordosis (-7.68±4.82° versus -0.02±8.44°, P<0.0001) and greater segmental height (39.51±3.50 versus 36.75±3.90, P=0.005).

CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes after two consecutive levels PEEK cage-assisted ACDF with and without plate fixation were similar, but the supplement of an anterior plate was advantageous for improving segmental alignment on long-term radiological follow-up.