Cervical Fusion Techniques Unmasked: Plating vs. Cage-Only.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Neurosurgery
• Spinal Surgery

Background:

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a standard procedure for cervical spine degeneration.
• The necessity of anterior plating versus cage-only techniques in ACDF is debated, particularly concerning sagittal alignment and clinical results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare anterior plating (PLATE) with cage-only (CAGE-O) techniques in two-level ACDF.
• To evaluate differences in postoperative cervical sagittal alignment, clinical outcomes, and complication profiles.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 42 patients undergoing two-level ACDF.
• Assessment of cervical lordosis, C0-C2 angle, T1 slope, and cSVA preoperatively and postoperatively.
• Evaluation of clinical outcomes using VAS and NDI scores over a two-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Both PLATE and CAGE-O groups showed significant improvements in VAS and NDI scores.
• The CAGE-O group demonstrated a significant increase in C0-C2 angles postoperatively.
• No significant differences in cervical lordosis, cSVA, or complication rates were observed between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Both anterior plating and cage-only techniques yield comparable outcomes in two-level ACDF.
• Surgical technique selection should be individualized based on patient factors and surgeon preference.