Objective To explore the neck axial symptom (AS) after Bryan cervical disc arthroplasty traditional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, and to make contrastive analysis. Methods From October 2004 to April 2006, 22 patients, 13 males and 9 females, aged 33-54 years old (43.3 on average), underwent Bryan cervical disc placement (groupA). Among them, there were 16 cases of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and 6 of nerve root cervical syndrome, with 20of single segment replacement and 2 of two segments replacement. The courses of disease were 1-21 months (6 months on average). Meanwhile, 30 patients, 17 males and 13 females, aged 35-64 years old (50.3 on average) underwent traditional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (group B). Among them, there were 19 cases of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and 11 of nerve root cervical syndrome, with 26 of single segments replacement and 4 of two segments replacement. The course of disease was 1-23 months (7 months on average). In both groups, the neurologic recovery rate, the change of cervical curvature of the operated segments and total range of motion (ROM), and incidence of neck axial symptoms were recorded and compared. Results All the patients were followed up for 24-42 months (30.6 months on average). There was no graveness compl ication happening during and after operation in both groups. There were no compl ications of prosthesis bit shifting and amotio in group A, and group B exhibited a bony fusion on X-ray films 6 months after operation, without plate and bolt loose or broken. The patients’ cl inical symptoms of radiculopathy were obviously rel ieved and the curative effect was satisfactory in two groups of nerve root cervical syndrome. In both groups of cervical spondylotic myelopathy, the patients’ JOA scores at the postoperative follow-up increased obviously than preoperative (Plt; 0.01), and there was no significant difference between the two groups before the operation and at the end of the follow-up (P gt; 0.05). The rate of sagittal al ignment of the operated segment with kyphosis increased obviously in group B, higher than in group A (P lt; 0.05).The total ROM of group B was obviously lower than preoperative (Plt; 0.01), and the pre- and postoperative difference of group A was not statistically significant (P gt; 0.05). The rate of postoperative neck AS was 18.18% in group A and 46.67% in group B, and the difference was statistically significant(Plt; 0.05). Conclusion Compared with traditional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, the use of Byran disc arthroplasty for cervical syndrome is associated with good outcomes. At the same time, it can maintain the cervical motion and curvature of operated segments, avoid the decrease of total ROM and lower the incidence of the postoperative neck AS.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of modified lateral mass screws implantation strategy on axial symptoms in cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty. MethodsA clinical data of 166 patients, who underwent cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty between August 2011 and July 2016 and met the selection criteria, was retrospective analyzed. Among them, 81 patients were admitted before August 2014 using the traditional mini-plate placement and lateral mass screws implantation strategy (control group), and 85 patients were admitted after August 2014 using modified lateral mass screws implantation strategy (modified group). There was no significant difference in the gender composition, age, clinical diagnosis, disease duration, diseased segment, and preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Neck Disability Index (NDI), cervical curvature and range of motion, spinal canal diameter and cross-sectional areas, and Pavlov’s value between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, the number of facet joints penetrated by lateral mass screws, effectiveness evaluation indexes (JOA score and improvement rate, VAS score, NDI), imaging evaluation indexes (cervical curvature and range of motion, spinal canal diameter and cross-sectional areas, Pavlov’s value, and lamina open angle), and complications were recorded and compared between the two groups.ResultsThe modified group had shorter operation time and lower intraoperative blood loss than the control group (P<0.05). There were 121 (29.9%, 121/405) and 10 (2.4%, 10/417) facet joints penetrated by lateral mass screws in control and modified groups, respectively; and the difference in incidence was significant (χ2=115.797, P=0.000). Eighteen patients in control group had 3 or more facet joints penetrated while no patients in modified group suffered 3 or more facet joint penetrated. The difference between the two groups was significant (P=0.000). All patients were followed up, the follow-up time was (28.7±4.9) months in modified group and (42.4±10.7) months in control group, showing significant difference (t=10.718, P=0.000). The JOA score, VAS score, and NDI at last follow-up of the two groups were significantly improved compared with preoperative (P<0.05); there was no significant difference in JOA score and improvement rate and VAS score between the two groups (P>0.05), but the NDI was significantly lower in modified group than in control group (P<0.05). There were significant differences in cervical curvature and range of motion, spinal canal diameter, Pavlov’s value, and cross-sectional areas at last follow-up when compared with those before operation in both groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indicators and lamina open angle between the two groups (P>0.05). The modified group has a relative lower axial symptom rate (23/85, 27.1%) than the control group (27/81, 33.3%), but the difference was not significant (Z=−1.446, P=0.148). There was no significant differences between the two groups in the incidences of C5 nerve root palsy, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, wound infection, and lung or urinary tract infection (P>0.05). ConclusionIn the cervical expansive open-door laminoplasty, the modified lateral mass screws implantation strategy can effectively reduce the risk of lateral mass screw penetrated to the cervical facet joints, and thus has a positive significance in avoiding the axial symptoms caused by facet joint destruction.