Relationship Between Sagittal Balance and Axial Symptoms in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Treated with Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

The Effect of a Cervical Brace on Postoperative Axial Symptoms Following Single-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the effect of cervical brace utilization on postoperative axial symptoms in patients undergoing single-segment anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the most commonly used surgical method in the treatment of cervical spondylosis. For patients with single-segment ACDF. The absence of a neck brace after surgery is safe and does not affect the outcome of surgery. However, the effect on the incidence of AS is unclear.

METHODS

Patients who underwent anterior cervical single-segment ACDF between May 2020 and August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Participants were divided into brace group and nonbraced groups. The incidence of axial symptoms, cervical mobility, and postoperative quality of life were then compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

A total of 121 patients were included in this study: 62 in the brace group and 59 in the nonbraced group. There were no statistically significant variations observed in the overall demographic characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, and disease duration. The study findings showed that there was a significant decrease in the occurrence of axial symptoms among patients in nonbraced group, in addition to a considerable increase in cervical mobility 1 month following the surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The omission of a cervical brace following surgery in patients undergoing single-segment ACDF reduced the incidence of early postoperative axial symptoms, improved their overall quality of life, and facilitated the recovery of postoperative cervical mobility.

Correlation between axial symptoms and cervical sagittal alignment parameters in patients with two-level or three-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior cervcial discectomy and fusion versus hybird surgery

OBJECTIVE

To comparatively analyze the correlation between axial symptoms (AS) and cervical sagittal alignment parameters after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and hybrid surgery (HS).

METHODS

From January 2018 to June 2023, 74 patients who underwent ACDF (n = 36) or HS (n = 38) for two-level or three-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy were retrospectively analyzed. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA), Neck Disability Index (NDI) were recorded to assess clinical outcomes. Cervical sagittal alignment parameters (Cobb's angle C2-7, C7 slope [C7S], and C2-7 sagittal vertical axis [C2-7 SVA]) were measured preoperatively, 3 days postoperatively, and at the last follow-up. The range of motion (ROM) of C2-7 and ROM of surgical segment were measured. The occurrence of AS was observed at the last follow-up. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between postoperative AS and cervical sagittal alignment parameters.

RESULTS

Both in ACDF group and HS group, VAS, JOA and NDI scores showed significant improvements at 3-day postoperation and at the last follow-up (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The Cobb's angle C2-7 and C7S were significantly increased at 3 days postoperation compared with pre-operatively in both groups (P < 0.05). C2-7SVA was increased in both groups 3 days after surgery compared with pre-operatively, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). At the last follow-up, the ROM of C2-7 in ACDF group was significantly smaller than HS group (P < 0.05). The prevalence of postoperative AS in the ACDF group and HS group was 41.7 and 18.4%, respectively, with statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). When simple Logistic regression analysis was used, the last Cobb's angle C2-7 (β = -0.088), the last C2-7SVA (β = 0.099) in ACDF group and the last C2-7SVA (β = 0.222) in HS group were all correlated with the occurrence of postoperative AS. When multiple Logistic regression analysis was used, only the last C2-7SVA (β = 0.181) in the HS group was positively correlated with the occurrence of postoperative AS.

CONCLUSIONS

Both ACDF and HS can achieve satisfied clinical outcomes. ACDF and HS can improve cervical sagittal balance to a certain extent, and HS is superior to ACDF in maintaining ROM. The decrease of the last Cobb's angle C2-7 and the increase of the last C2-7SVA may be related to the occurrence of AS after ACDF. The increase of the last C2-7SVA was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of AS after HS.

The Frequency of Symptoms in Patients With a Diagnosis of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Results of a Scoping Review

STUDY DESIGN

Delayed diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is associated with reduced quality of life and greater disability. Developing diagnostic criteria for DCM has been identified as a top research priority.

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aims to address the following questions: What is the diagnostic accuracy and frequency of clinical symptoms in patients with DCM?

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using a database of all primary DCM studies published between 2005 and 2020. Studies were included if they (i) assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a symptom using an appropriate control group or (ii) reported the frequency of a symptom in a cohort of DCM patients.

RESULTS

This review identified three studies that discussed the diagnostic accuracy of various symptoms and included a control group. An additional 58 reported on the frequency of symptoms in a cohort of patients with DCM. The most frequent and sensitive symptoms in DCM include unspecified paresthesias (86%), hand numbness (82%) and hand paresthesias (79%). Neck and/or shoulder pain was present in 51% of patients with DCM, whereas a minority had back (19%) or lower extremity pain (10%). Bladder dysfunction was uncommon (38%) although more frequent than bowel (23%) and sexual impairment (4%). Gait impairment is also commonly seen in patients with DCM (72%).

CONCLUSION

Patients with DCM present with many different symptoms, most commonly sensorimotor impairment of the upper extremities, pain, bladder dysfunction and gait disturbance. If patients present with a combination of these symptoms, further neuroimaging is indicated to confirm the diagnosis of DCM.

Cervical Sagittal Balance: Impact on Clinical Outcomes and Subsidence in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Degenerative disease of the cervical spine leads to sagittal imbalance, which may affect treatment results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in selected cervical sagittal balance parameters and their effects on subsidence and clinical outcomes of the procedure. This study encompassed a total of 95 evaluated patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Selected cervical sagittal balance parameters were assessed using lateral projection X-rays: C2-C7 spinal vertical axis (C2-C7 SVA), spinocranial angle (SCA), C7 slope, C2-C7 lordosis, and the segmental Cobb angle. Measurements were collected the day before, the day after, and 12 months after surgery. Changes in clinical parameters was assessed using the VAS and NDI scales. Subsidence was defined as a loss of intervertebral height of more than 30% of the baseline value. Among all the assessed parameters, only the C2-C7 SVA demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the groups with and without subsidence: 26.03 vs. 21.79 [mm], with p = 0.0182, preoperatively and 27.80 vs. 24.94 [mm], with p = 0.0449, on the day after surgery, respectively. We conclude that higher preoperative and postoperative C2-C7 SVA values might contribute to an elevated risk of implant subsidence. Furthermore, both the SCA and C7 slope could conceivably influence the clinical outcome, respectively impacting pain, as assessed by the VAS and the disability, as evaluated through the NDI scale.

Role of a Qualified Physician and Health Behavior in Effective Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Objectives: This research investigated the impact of having a qualified physician on improving disease awareness and effective treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Previous studies have observed that patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy are less satisfied with their treatment and medical facilities. This study hence aimed to investigate the role of a qualified physician and the moderating influence of health behavior between disease awareness and effective treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Methods: The primary data was collected from 144 cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients admitted in Meram Medical Faculty Hospital. A questionnaire on 5-point Likert scale was developed, whose items were checked for validity and reliability. The study adopted a cross- sectional approach, by conducting a normality test, correlation measurement of all variables like disease awareness, qualified physician and health behavior, and a regression analysis to explore the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable, and to test the hypotheses of the study. Results: The results of this research revealed that patients of cervical spondylotic myelopathy would get effective treatment when their health behavior is positive and when they have an awareness of the critical health situation. Conclusion: This research contributed a framework significantly to the research gap. It demonstrated the extraordinary practical and theoretical implications related to cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Future directions are also recommended by highlighting the limitations of this research, in order to continue to contribute to the effective treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Anterior Cervical Decompression versus Segmental Fusion and Posterior Expansive Canal Plasty in the Treatment of Multilevel Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Objective

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of anterior cervical decompression and segmental fusion and posterior expansive canal plasty in the treatment of multisegment cervical myelopathy.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed of 56 cases of multisegment cervical myelopathy patients admitted from July 2018 to June 2021, 32 male patients and 24 females, aged 56.9 ± 12.8 years with an average duration of 10.6 ± 3.2 years. All patients' preoperative imaging examination revealed multiple-segmented cervical disc herniation and had clinical manifestations of cervical myelopathy.

Results

No neurovascular complications occurred in both groups, and 24 to 36 months of follow-up (mean 28.6 months) were obtained. The height of the cervical spondylosis segment was higher than that 2 weeks after surgery (p < 0.05), and the curvature of the cervical spine was significantly lower than that before surgery. There was no statistical significance in the height of the anterior column and curvature of the cervical vertebra at 2 weeks after surgery and at the last follow-up (p > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in anterior curvature of the cervical spine between the two groups at 2 weeks after surgery and the last follow-up (p < 0.05). Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores in both groups recovered significantly after surgery. At 3 months and the last follow-up, the improvement rate of JOA score in the anterior approach group was significantly higher than that in the posterior approach group (p < 0.05), and the improvement rate of JOA score in the anterior approach group was also better than that in the posterior approach group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This segmented anterior fusion procedure can effectively restore the anterior cervical column height and can significantly improve spinal cord function compared with posterior spinal canal enlargement plasty, thus could be considered an effective option for the treatment of multisegment cervical myelopathy.

Change in the postoperative intervertebral space height and its impact on clinical and radiological outcomes after ACDF surgery using a zero-profile device: a single-Centre retrospective study of 138 cases

BACKGROUND

The effects of postoperative intervertebral height (IH) changes on the clinical and radiological outcomes after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) surgery using a zero-profile device remain unclear.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients who had undergone ACDF using a zero-profile device from March 2012 to February 2016 at our institution. Based on the postoperative IH variation, the patients were divided into group A with postoperative IH 0 to 2 mm, group B with postoperative IH 2 to 4 mm, and group C with postoperative IH greater than 4 mm. Clinical efficacy was evaluated using JOA, VAS, and NDI scores in the groups. Imaging parameters including the IH, cervical lordosis, fusion rate, intervertebral foramen (IVF) diameter and complications such as subsidence, dysphagia, and ASD were also compared across the three groups.

RESULTS

The average IH increased significantly from 6.72 mm preoperatively to 10.46 mm 1 week after surgery, and then gradually decreased to 7.48 mm at the final follow-up. The fusion rate was 61.90% in group A, 63.23% in group B, 53.57% in group C at 3 months, 73.81% in group A, 79.41% in group B, 67.86% in group C at 6 months, 90.48% in group A, 95.59% in group B, 92.86% in group C 1 year after surgery, and at the last follow-up, the fusion rate of three groups was all 100%. The IVF diameter was 6.52 ± 1.80 mm in group A, 9.55 ± 2.36 mm in group B, and 9.34 ± 1.62 mm in group C. ASD at the superior and inferior levels affected 11.90 and 16.67% patients in group A, 5.88 and 7.38% in group B, and 14.28 and 10.71% in group C. Regarding the 3 groups, the subsidence rates were 7.14, 4.41, and 14.29%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

No clear correlation was found between IH changes and clinical efficacy within a year of surgery. However, the IH may affect various complications after ACDF. If postoperative IH changes are maintained at 2 to 4 mm after a year, a satisfactory imaging parameters and relatively low complications may be achieved after ACDF surgery using a zero-profile device.

Sagittal balance of the cervical spine: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the cervical sagittal parameters between patients with cervical spine disorder and asymptomatic controls.

METHODS

Two independent authors systematically searched online databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane library, and Web of Science up to June 2020. Cervical sagittal balance parameters, such as T1 slope, cervical SVA (cSVA), and spine cranial angle (SCA), were compared between the cervical spine in healthy, symptomatic, and pre-operative participants. Where possible, we pooled data using random-effects meta-analysis, by CMA software. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using the I-squared statistic and funnel plots, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 102 studies, comprising 13,802 cases (52.7% female), were included in this meta-analysis. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) to evaluate the quality of studies included in this review. Funnel plot and Begg's test did not indicate obvious publication bias. The pooled analysis reveals that the mean (SD) values were: T1 slope (degree), 24.5 (0.98), 25.7 (0.99), 25.4 (0.34); cSVA (mm), 18.7 (1.76), 22.7 (0.66), 22.4 (0.68) for healthy population, symptomatic, and pre-operative assessment, respectively. The mean value of the SCA (degree) was 79.5 (3.55) and 75.6 (10.3) for healthy and symptomatic groups, respectively. Statistical differences were observed between the groups (all P values < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The findings showed that the T1 slope and the cSVA were significantly lower among patients with cervical spine disorder compared to controls and higher for the SCA. Further well-conducted studies are needed to complement our findings.