Correlation between cervical spine sagittal alignment and clinical outcome after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2012 Jun;41(6):E81-4.

Abstract

Studies have shown that maintenance of lordosis improves outcomes after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The relationship between maintenance or restoration of lordosis after ACDF and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures has not been evaluated. Preoperative and 2-year postoperative cervical lordosis (C2-C7) and segmental lordosis were measured from upright lateral cervical spine radiographs in patients who had ACDF. Data on the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Short- Form-36 Physical Composite Summary Score, arm, and neck pain scores were also collected. Paired t-tests were used to compare preoperative and 2-year postoperative radiographic measures and HRQOL measures. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to identify sagittal parameters that predict achievement of a Minimum Clinically Important Difference (MCID) in outcome measures. One hundred one patients (75 female; mean age, 52 years) were included. There was improvement in all HRQOL measures from preoperative to 2 years postoperative. There was no significant difference in preoperative and 2-year postoperative sagittal alignment. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a postoperative cervical lordosis of at least 6° predicted achievement of MCID for NDI (8 point change in NDI). This suggests that maintenance or restoration of overall cervical lordosis is important in achieving a successful result after ACDF.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cervical Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery*
  • Diskectomy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lordosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Lordosis / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neck Pain / diagnostic imaging
  • Neck Pain / surgery
  • Radiography
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology*
  • Spinal Fusion*
  • Treatment Outcome