Treatment with an Anterior Cervical Fusion Cage Was Safe and Effective for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disorders

Abstract

A prospective randomized multicenter clinical evaluation of an anterior cervical fusion cage. Spine. 2000 Oct 15;25:2646-55. Question: In patients with cervical degenerative disc disorders, is treatment with an anterior cervical fusion cage safe and effective? Design: Prospective, randomized, unblinded, controlled trial with 2-year follow-up. Setting: 26 investigative centers in the United States, including 50 participating surgeons. Patients: 488 patients, 18 to 65 years of age (mean age, 46 years; 51% men). Inclusion criteria were radiographically confirmed discogenic radiculopathy of the cervical spine that involved 1 or 2 contiguous disc levels between C3 and C7 and 1 of the following symptoms: arm or shoulder pain, decreased strength, and abnormal sensation. Exclusion criteria included systemic infection, substantial metabolic bone disease, problems that could cause excessive surgical risk, active malignancy, and symptomatic degenerative disease at 3 disc levels. 390 patients had 1 disc level involved, and 98 patients had 2 disc …