Filling a cervical spine cage with local autograft: change of bone density and assessment of bony fusion

Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie
Tobias R PitzenW I Steudel

Abstract

To date, it remains debatable whether cervical spine fusion cages should be filled with any kind of bone or bone substitute. Using a bone substitute would produce additional costs, using an autologous bone graft from the iliac crest would make the use of the cage at least questionable. As an alternative, cortical and subcortical bone from the anterior osteophytes of the segment in which the disc has been removed could be used to fill the cage: higher costs and complications at the iliac crest could both be avoided and the cage could be filled. However, the fate of these bone chips made from the anterior osteophytes is unclear as well as whether fusion will occur using this technique. The objective of the current study was to investigate possible changes in the bone density of this local autograft in the cage within the first 12 months after surgery by means of computed tomography. A second objective was to assess segmental bony fusion using this technique. 21 patients, suffering from degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, were included into this prospective study. They all underwent anterior decompression, cage insertion and plate stabilisation. The cage (Rabea, Signus Medizintechnik, Alzenau, Germany), was filled wit...Continue Reading

Citations

Apr 9, 2010·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Kyung-Jin SongJi-Hoon Song
Jul 31, 2012·European Spine Journal : Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·Kyung-Jin SongKwang-Bok Lee
Jun 8, 2013·Neurosurgical Review·Anthony Minh Tien ChauRalph Jasper Mobbs
Nov 23, 2007·Journal of Clinical Neuroscience : Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·Niklaus KrayenbühlJavier Fandino

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