Sudhakar N, Laing R J C, Redfern R M
Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Br J Neurosurg. 2003 Feb;17(1):54-9.
There is no established method to assess fusion in patients following anterior cervical discectomy. In this study we have made a series of measurements to detect movement between vertebrae adjacent to an operated space. The absence of movement implies structural union between adjacent vertebrae. Measurements have been made in two distinct surgical groups. Group A patients had anterior cervical discectomy with insertion of a BOP graft into the disc space. Group B patients underwent simple anterior cervical discectomy with no spacer or graft material inserted, the disc space being left empty. Details of the measurements and interpretation of results are described. In the absence of a 'gold standard' to assess bony union we propose that these measurement methods provide an objective and scientific method to assess fusion at the operated level after anterior cervical discectomy. Objective measurement of fusion will allow comparison between different surgical techniques that claim fusion as an end point. It will also become possible to study the influence of fusion on clinical outcome in different surgical populations.
目前尚无评估颈椎前路椎间盘切除术后患者融合情况的既定方法。在本研究中，我们进行了一系列测量，以检测手术间隙相邻椎体之间的运动。无运动意味着相邻椎体之间存在结构融合。测量是在两个不同的手术组中进行的。A组患者接受颈椎前路椎间盘切除术，并在椎间盘间隙植入BOP移植物。B组患者仅接受单纯颈椎前路椎间盘切除术，未插入任何间隔物或移植材料，椎间盘间隙保持空虚。文中描述了测量细节及结果解读。在缺乏评估骨融合“金标准”的情况下，我们认为这些测量方法为评估颈椎前路椎间盘切除术后手术节段的融合提供了一种客观科学的方法。融合的客观测量将使以融合为终点的不同手术技术之间能够进行比较。研究融合对不同手术人群临床结果的影响也将成为可能。
