Anterior cervical discectomy without fusion: a comparison with Cloward's procedure

The antero-medial microsurgical disc or osteophyte removal without formal interbody fusion is a surgical alternative in the treatment of cervical discs causing radicular compression or cervical myelopathy. In the past 20 years 379 patients underwent anterior surgery, including 240 microdiscectomies without graft and 139 Cloward's dowel procedures. The long-term results of both procedures are compared in patients suffering from radicular compression, dominant myelopathy and radiculo-myelopathy. We found no statistically significant differences between the two methods treating three different conditions. The improvement rate in patients with soft and sequestrated discs is generally better compared to those with hard discs and spondylotic changes. Functional stability of the cervical spine is present in 92% of cases treated without interbody fusion immediately after surgery. A complete osseous fusion after a period of 6-12 months was found in 90% of Cloward procedures and in 81% of discectomy without graft. No definite correlation was found between the clinical improvement and the radiological results. According to our experience the Cloward's fusion procedure has no long-term advantages over discectomy without graft except in cases of severe myelopathy caused by multilevel ventral compression due to osteophytes. No permanent postoperative complication was encountered. Most of the treated patients returned to their previous activities.