Keywords
Abstract
Introduction: The aim of the study was to radiologically analyse the results of expandable implant insertion in one- to two-level cervical spine somatectomy.
Methods: A total of 28 patients undergoing one- to two-level somatectomy in cervical spine were postoperatively examined by CT. The following radiological parameters were studied: Cobb angle C2-7, segmental Cobb angle, implant subsidence and bone fusion.
Results: The average Cobb angle of C2-7 in preoperative images was 13.7 degrees, 13.4 degrees in the early postoperative period (p=0.88), and 10.3 degrees (p=0.043) 2 years after the surgery. The average segmental Cobb angle in preoperative images was 4.4 degrees, 5.2 degrees in the early postoperative period (p=0.61), and 0.2 degrees (p=0.01) 2 years after the surgery. Significant implant subsidence was observed in 15 cases (53.6%). Grade I fusion was achieved in 6 cases (21.4%), grade II fusion in 12 cases (42.9%), and stable pseudoarthrosis (grade III) in 9 cases (32.1%). No cases of unstable pseudoarthrosis (grade IV) were detected.
Conclusion: Implantation of an expandable vertebral body implant in one- to two-level cervical spine somatectomy with ventral plate fixation is a fully acceptable way to reconstruct the ventral column of the cervical spine, providing sufficient long-term stability of the cervical spine and instrumentation and an adequate cervical spine curve.