BackgroundAnterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF) is challenging with respect to both patient selection and choice of surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of ACDF, with respect to both patient selection and choice of surgical procedure: fusion with an autologous iliac crest graft (AICG) versus fusion with an artificial cage made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK).MethodsThis was a non-randomized prospective single-center outcome study of 258 patients who underwent ACDF for cervical disc degeneration (CDD). Fusion was attained with either tricortical AICG or PEEK cages without additional anterior plating, with treatment selected at surgeon's discretion. Radicular pain, neck-pain, headache and patient satisfaction with the treatment were scored using the visual analogue scale (VAS).ResultsThe median age was 47.5 (28.3-82.8) years, and 44% of patients were female. 59% had single-level ACDF, 40% had two level ACDF and 1% had three-level ACDF. Of the patients, 181 were fused with AICG and 77 with a PEEK-cage. After surgery, the patients showed a significant reduction in radicular pain (ΔVAS = 3.05), neck pain (ΔVAS = 2.30) and headache (ΔVAS = 0.55). Six months after surgery, 48% of patients had returned to work: however 24% were still receiving workers' compensation.Using univariate and multivariate analyses we found that high preoperative pain intensity was significantly associated with a decrease in pain intensity after surgery, for all three pain categories. There were no significant correlations between pain relief and the following patient characteristics: fusion method (AICG or PEEK-cage), sex, age, number of levels fused, disc level fused, previous neck surgery (except for neck pain), previous neck trauma, or preoperative symptom duration. Two hundred out of the 256 (78%) patients evaluated the surgical result as successful. Only 27/256 (11%) classified the surgical result as a failure. Patient satisfaction was significantly associated with pain relief after surgery.ConclusionsACDF is an effective treatment for radicular pain in selected patients with CDD after six months follow up.Because of similar clinical outcomes and lack of donor site morbidity when using PEEK, we now prefer fusion with PEEK cage to AICG.Lengthy symptom duration was not a negative prognostic marker in our patient population.The number of patients who returned to work 6 months after surgery was lower than expected.

BackgroundChronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is a common entity in neurosurgery with a considerable postoperative recurrence rate. Computerised tomography (CT) scanning remains the most important diagnostic test for this disorder. The aim of this study was to characterise the relationship between the recurrence of CSDH after treatment with burr-hole irrigation and closed-system drainage technique and CT scan features of these lesions to assess whether CT findings can be used to predict recurrence.MethodsWe investigated preoperative and postoperative CT scan features and recurrence rate of 107 consecutive adult surgical cases of CSDH and assessed any relationship with univariate and multivariate regression analyses.ResultsSeventeen patients (15.9 %) experienced recurrence of CSDH. The preoperative haematoma volume, the isodense, hyperdense, laminar and separated CT densities and the residual total haematoma cavity volume on the 1st postoperative day after removal of the drainage were identified as radiological predictors of recurrence. If the preoperative haematoma volume was under 115 ml and the residual total haematoma cavity volume postoperatively was under 80 ml, the probability of no recurrence was very high (94.4 % and 97.4 % respectively).ConclusionsThese findings from CT imaging may help to identify patients at risk for postoperative recurrence.

Purpose Standard surgical treatment for symptomatic cervical disc disease has been discectomy and fusion, but the use of arthroplasty, designed to preserve motion, has increased, and most studies report clinical outcome in its favor. Few of these trials, however, blinded the patients. We, therefore, conducted the Norwegian Cervical Arthroplasty Trial, and present 2-year clinical outcome after arthroplasty or fusion. Methods This multicenter trial included 136 patients with single-level cervical disc disease. The patients were randomized to arthroplasty or fusion, and blinded to the treatment modality. The surgical team was blinded to randomization until nerve root decompression was completed. Primary outcome was the self-rated Neck Disability Index. Secondary outcomes were the numeric rating scale for pain and quality of life questionnaires Short Form-36 and EuroQol-5Dimension-3 Level. Results There was a significant improvement in the primary and all secondary outcomes from baseline to 2-year follow-up for both arthroplasty and fusion (P \ 0.001), and no observed significant between-group differences at any follow-up times. However, linear mixed model analyses, correcting for baseline values, dropouts and missing data, revealed a difference in Neck Disability Index (P = 0.049), and arm pain (P = 0.027) in favor of fusion at 2 years. The duration of surgery was longer (P \ 0.001), and the frequency of reoperations higher (P = 0.029) with arthroplasty. Conclusion The present study showed excellent clinical results and no significant difference between treatments at any scheduled follow-up. However, the rate of index level reoperations was higher and the duration of surgery longer with arthroplasty.

After anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, a 6 h postoperative observation period followed by discharge from the neurosurgical unit is likely to be as safe as observation as an inpatient for a longer period.