Cervical foraminal area and intervertebral height changes after titanium ring cage placement: preliminary results

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Cervical disc herniation often requires surgical intervention.
• Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion is a common treatment.
• Titanium ring cages are used for intervertebral fusion and height maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of titanium ring cage implantation on cervical foraminal area.
• To assess changes in intervertebral height following titanium ring cage placement.
• To analyze the relationship between cage subsidence and foraminal dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-two patients with single-level cervical disc herniation underwent anterior cervical discectomy and titanium ring cage implantation.
• Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were used to measure cervical foraminal area and intervertebral height.
• Radiographic assessments were performed at early postoperative and final follow-up points.

Main Results:

• Mean intervertebral height increased from 0.7 cm preoperatively to 0.9 cm at final follow-up (22.6% increase).
• Mean cervical foraminal area increased from 0.4 cm² preoperatively to 0.5 cm² at final follow-up.
• Cage subsidence was observed, which negatively affected the final foraminal area, though overall dimensions remained increased compared to preoperative values.

Conclusions:

• Cervical ring cage placement effectively increases intervertebral height and cervical foraminal area.
• Subsidence of the cervical ring cage can negatively impact foraminal area over time.
• Long-term monitoring is necessary to fully understand the subsidence rate and its effects on cervical spine anatomy.