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Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in the Ovine Model
Published on: October 5, 2009
A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Bone Union Rate Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
Jemin Yi1, Gun Woo Lee2, Woo Dong Nam1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kangwon National University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Study Design:
Prospective randomized noninferiority trial.
Purpose:
To evaluate whether the union rate of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage filled with a mixture of hydroxyapatite (HA) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) is inferior to that of a mixture of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and HA.
Overview Of Literature:
There have been no clinical trials investigating the outcomes of a mixture of HA and DBM in a PEEK cage in ACDF.
Methods:
Eighty-five eligible patients were randomly assigned to group B (n=43), in which a PEEK cage with a mixture of HA and DBM was used, or group C (n=42), in which a PEEK cage with a mixture of HA and β-TCP was used. The primary study endpoint was the fusion rate, which was assessed with dynamic radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans. Secondary endpoints included pain intensity using a visual analogue scale, functional outcome using a neck disability index score, laboratory tests of inflammatory profiles, and the infection rate.
Results:
Seventy-seven patients (38 in group B and 39 in group C) were included in the final analysis. One year postoperatively, bone fusion was achieved in 87% of group B patients and 87% of group C patients on dynamic radiographs, and 87% of group B patients and 72% of group C patients on CT scans (p=1.00 and 0.16, respectively). There were also no between-groups differences with respect to the secondary endpoints.
Conclusions:
A HA/DBM mixture inside a PEEK cage can provide noninferior outcomes compared to a HA/TCP mixture in ACDF.
