Anterior cervical plate used in degenerative disease can maintain cervical lordosis

The aim of this study was to show whether anterior cervical plate stabilization is able to maintain cervical lordosis or not when used for cervical degenerative disease. Thirty cases that underwent anterior fusion at multiple levels without cervical plating before 1986 were compared with 44 cases treated with cervical plating since 1986. Changes in the alignment of the total cervical spine and of the fused segment were studied in both groups. Collapse of the grafted bone, which was observed in 9 of 30 cases in the nonplate group, was not observed in the plate group. Alignment of the cervical spine was corrected and well maintained in the plated group, compared with the nonplate group. Anterior cervical plate stabilization could maintain the normal alignment of the cervical spine damaged by degenerative processes, whereas anterior cervical fusion without plating could not.