[Analysis of cages subsidence in cervical spine after discectomy]

The aim of this study was answer the question: whether using cages after discectomy allows to preserve disc height long enough to obtain fusion. The clinical material consists of 117 patients treated in Department of Neuroorthopedics at STOCER Rehabilitation Center in 2001-2004. All patients underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with Solis cage. In studied patients' group we applied 177 implants. In radiological X-ray pictures maintenance of the operated disc height was estimated. Additionally, correlation between the radiological result, pain and the patients' quality of life was studied. Disc height was preserved in 85% operated spaces until maintaining bone fusion. Cage collapse dependents of the patient's age, size of implant and type of removed intervertebral disc. The use of cage allows to preserve disc height long enough to obtain fusion. The phenomenon of cage collapse does not correlate with clinical result.