[Preliminary clinical study of anchoring cervical intervertebral fusion cage]

To study the clinical application of anchoring cervical intervertebral fusion cage (ACIFC) in anterior cervical discectomy with fusion.

From November 2006 to June 2007, 21 cases of degenerative cervical disease were treated with anterior cervical discectomy, bone graft by ACIFC and anchoring stators, and 28 ACIFCs were implanted. There were 12 males and 9 females aged 25-68 years old (average 47.9 years old). The course of disease ranged from 3 days to 15 years (median 2.3 years). There were 7 patients with single-segment cervical spondylosis, 3 with two-segment cervical spondylosis, 2 with single-segment lower cervical spine instability, 4 with single-segment cervical spondylosis and lower cervical spine instability, and 5 with cervical disc herniation. Postoperatively, X-ray films were taken regularly to detect the fusion of bone graft and the intervertebral height of fused segment was measured. The symptoms, signs and cervical functions of patient before operation, shortly after operation and during the follow-up period were evaluated by "40 score" system. And the occurrence of postoperative axial symptom (AS) was assessed with the standard set by Zeng Yan et al.

All incisions healed by first intention. AS occurred in 1 case 48 hours after operation and was improved from poor to good after symptomatic treatment. No other kind of complication was identified or reported during intra-operative and postoperative period. All the cases were followed up for 16-24 months (average 20.5 months), and fusion was reached in all the intervertebral discs. Evaluated by "40 score" system, the average score for the cervical spinal cord function before operation, shortly after operation and during the final follow-up period was 26.2, 30.6, and 35.5 points, respectively, indicating there were significant differences between different time points (P < 0.05). During the follow-up period of above 1 year, the average improvement rate was 67.4%. The average intervertebral height before operation, shortly after operation and during the last follow-up period were 1.9, 4.4 and 4.3 mm, respectively, showing there were significant differences between the preoperation and the immediate postoperative and last follow-up periods (P < 0.05). No degeneration of adjacent segment was observed during the follow-up period.

Using ACIFC in bone graft fusion and internal fixation for degenerative cervical disease is convenient and fast, has wide range of indications with satisfying clinical effect, and can achieve obvious therapeutic effect in restoring and maintaining cervical intervertebral height.