Three dimensional-printed artificial disc replacement for single-level cervical spondylosis: a cohort study

To compare the clinical efficacy of 3D-printed artificial discs with that of ACDF for treating cervical spondylosis.

This was a retrospective analysis of 73 patients with single-level cervical spondylosis who met the inclusion criteria between January 2020 and December 2022 at XX Hospital. The patients were divided: 38 patients in the ACDF group and 35 patients in the CADR group. Patient general information, including operation time and intraoperative blood loss, was collected. The clinical effect of the combination therapy was evaluated by the VAS, JOA, and NDI. The radiological effect was evaluated using the ROM test. Ethics No. 201,606,009.

The average follow-up times in the ACDF and CADR groups were 28.24 ± 4.65 and 29.11 ± 5.06 months, respectively (P = 0.443). Clinical symptoms (evaluated by VAS, NDI, and JOA) are significantly improved in both the ACDF and CADR groups with similar efficacy. The preoperative ROM of the ACDF group was 40.03 ± 8.79, while that of the CADR group was 42.11 ± 7.98 (P = 0.293). However, the postoperative ROM in the ACDF group was 35.29 ± 7.23, which was lower than that in the CADR group (40.43 ± 6.98) (P = 0.003). Furthermore, only one patient in the ACDF group experienced mild dysphagia after surgery, and the patient recovered within three days. ASD occurred in nine patients in the ACDF group and in two patients in the CADR group (Χ²=4.597, P = 0.032).

Compared with ACDF, 3D-printed artificial discs for treating single-level cervical spondylosis have proven to be clinically effective; it associated with less blood loss and a lower incidence of ASD, and maintain a better cervical ROM.