Safety and efficacy of multilevel ACDF/ACCF surgery (anterior cervical discectomy/corpectomy and fusion): retrospective comparative cohort study

Abstract

PURPOSE: The goal of this thesis research project is to evaluate and compare post-operative complications among patients, who underwent short and long segment Anterior Cervical Discectomy/Corpectomy and Fusion (ACDF/ACCF). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study design allowed for evaluation of series of variables (age, sex, diagnosis, general post-operative outcome, and complications) while comparing them between the short and long segment groups. RESULTS: Patients within both cohorts tended to experience similar complications, except pseudarthrosis and adjacent segment disease, which both were more prevalent in the long segment group. Diagnosis or short versus long segment length did not have an effect on the general post-operative outcome. One-level ACDF patients were younger than multilevel ACDF surgery patients. Dysphagia was more likely to occur in older patients, with the risk of dysphagia incidence increased by 7% with each year of patient’s age. CONCLUSIONS: Study indicated that longer segment ACDF/ACCF does not carry higher risk of complications incidence than short segment treatment. Further studies are advised to increase generalizability of these results.