Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of cervical cage usage on the post operative disc and foraminal height and clinical improvement in cervical disc heniation operations.Material and Method: 60 patients that were operated due to cervical disc herniation between 1998-2003 at our clinic were included in this study. 25 patients had anterior cervical discectomy operation (ASD) and 35 patients had anterior cervical discectomy with fusion operation (ASDF). Peek and titanium cages and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) wer -e used as fusion material. Disc height and foraminal heights were measured on preoperative and postoperative roentgenograms. The clinical data were evaluated according to Odom"s criteria.Results: The intervertebral disc space heights and foraminal heights were preserved in the ASDF group. The narrowed disc and foraminal heights in the preoperative roentgenograms were observed to be enlarged in the postoperative roentgenograms. In the ASD group the operated disc spaces and related foramina were narrowed.Conclusion: We observed that using fusion materials in discectomy operations for cervical disc herniation results in early postoperative clinical improvement and significant radiological differences.

Key words: Cervical disc herniation, cage, foramen, inteı-vertebral disc height