The use of acrylic bone cement for cervical fusion in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

We report on 14 patients with instability of the cervical spine secondary to rheumatoid arthritis treated by fusion using a combination of traditional bone grafting techniques and methylmethacrylate bone cement. Successful fusion was achieved in all cases with few complications. The high infection rate reported by other authors was avoided by reducing the bulk of the cement mass and the use of antibiotic impregnated cement. We recommend this method of fusion to all orthopaedic surgeons involved in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.