REOPERATION IN PATIENTS AFTER ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATE STABILIZATION IN DEGENERATIVE DISEASE

Study Design. Consecutive case retrospective chart review. Objectives: First, to assess whether the number of patients requiring a second ce rvical surgical intervention was changed as a result of using anterior cervical plate stabilization, and second, to determine the additional risks and/or benefits associated with the hardware implantation. Summ ary of Background Data. The optimal technique of performing stabilizat ion, arthrodesis, and alignment of a cervical segment after discectomy with neural decompression in degenerative disease has yet to be deter mined. Methods. The charts of 402 patients who had undergone an anteri or cervical discectomy and arthrodesis for degenerative disease perfor med both with and with and without anterior cervical plate stabilizati on were reviewed, and reoperation data were compiled. The average foll ow-up time was 3.8 years (range, 1.5-9.4 years). Results. Of 365 patie nts with 1- or 2-level cervical arthrodesis, 22 required a second surg ical intervention (20 bone alone, 2 with anterior cervical plate stabi lization). The Log-Rank test, which uses all patients and their total follow-up periods, was statistically significant favoring anterior cer vical plate stabilization at one and two levels (P = 0.015). Conclusio ns. The addition of anterior cervical plate stabilization in one-and t wo-level cervical degenerative disease supplements the internal stabil ization initially provided by the bone graft, and yields a lower reope ration rate.