{"title":"Four-Level Cervical Disc Arthroplasty.","authors":"Hsuan-Kan Chang, Chih-Chang Chang, Tsung-Hsi Tu, Yi-Hsuan Kuo, Ching-Lan Wu, Mei-Yin Yeh, Chao-Hung Kuo, Chin-Chu Ko, Li-Yu Fay, Wen-Cheng Huang, Jau-Ching Wu","doi":"10.14444/8603","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion inevitably yields a higher chance of pseudarthrosis or require more reoperations than single-level procedures. Therefore, multilevel cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) could be an alternative surgery for cervical spondylosis, as it (particularly 3- and 4-level CDA) could preserve more functional motility than single-level disc diseases. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes of 4-level CDA, a relatively infrequently indicated surgery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The medical records of consecutive patients who underwent 4-level CDA were retrospectively reviewed. These highly selected patients typically had multilevel disc herniations with mild spondylosis. The inclusion criteria were symptomatic cervical spondylotic myelopathy, radiculopathy, or both, that were medically refractory. The clinical outcomes were assessed. The radiographic outcomes, including global and individual segmental range of motion (ROM) at C3-7, and any complications were also analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data from a total of 20 patients (mean age: 56 ± 8 years) with an average follow-up of 34 ± 20 months were analyzed. All patients reported improved clinical outcomes compared with that of preoperation, and the ROMs at C3-7 were not only preserved but also trended toward an increase (35 ± 8 vs 37 ± 10 degrees, pre- vs postoperation, <i>P</i> = 0.271) after the 4-level CDA. However, global cervical alignment remained unchanged. There was one permanent C5 radiculopathy, but no other neurological deteriorations or any reoperations occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>For these rare but unique indications, 4-level CDA yielded clinical improvement and preserved segmental motility with low rates of complications. Four-level CDA is a safe and effective surgery, maintaining the ROM in patients with primarily disc herniations and mild spondylosis.</p><p><strong>Clinical relevance: </strong>For patients with mild spondylosis, whose degeneration at the cervical spine is not so severe, CDA is more suitable.</p><p><strong>Level of evidence: 4: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":38486,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Spine Surgery","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Spine Surgery","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.14444/8603","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SURGERY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion inevitably yields a higher chance of pseudarthrosis or require more reoperations than single-level procedures. Therefore, multilevel cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) could be an alternative surgery for cervical spondylosis, as it (particularly 3- and 4-level CDA) could preserve more functional motility than single-level disc diseases. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes of 4-level CDA, a relatively infrequently indicated surgery.
Methods: The medical records of consecutive patients who underwent 4-level CDA were retrospectively reviewed. These highly selected patients typically had multilevel disc herniations with mild spondylosis. The inclusion criteria were symptomatic cervical spondylotic myelopathy, radiculopathy, or both, that were medically refractory. The clinical outcomes were assessed. The radiographic outcomes, including global and individual segmental range of motion (ROM) at C3-7, and any complications were also analyzed.
Results: Data from a total of 20 patients (mean age: 56 ± 8 years) with an average follow-up of 34 ± 20 months were analyzed. All patients reported improved clinical outcomes compared with that of preoperation, and the ROMs at C3-7 were not only preserved but also trended toward an increase (35 ± 8 vs 37 ± 10 degrees, pre- vs postoperation, P = 0.271) after the 4-level CDA. However, global cervical alignment remained unchanged. There was one permanent C5 radiculopathy, but no other neurological deteriorations or any reoperations occurred.
Conclusion: For these rare but unique indications, 4-level CDA yielded clinical improvement and preserved segmental motility with low rates of complications. Four-level CDA is a safe and effective surgery, maintaining the ROM in patients with primarily disc herniations and mild spondylosis.
Clinical relevance: For patients with mild spondylosis, whose degeneration at the cervical spine is not so severe, CDA is more suitable.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Spine Surgery is the official scientific journal of ISASS, the International Intradiscal Therapy Society, the Pittsburgh Spine Summit, and the Büttner-Janz Spinefoundation, and is an official partner of the Southern Neurosurgical Society. The goal of the International Journal of Spine Surgery is to promote and disseminate online the most up-to-date scientific and clinical research into innovations in motion preservation and new spinal surgery technology, including basic science, biologics, and tissue engineering. The Journal is dedicated to educating spine surgeons worldwide by reporting on the scientific basis, indications, surgical techniques, complications, outcomes, and follow-up data for promising spinal procedures.