【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the early effectiveness of the Discover cervical artificial disc replacement in treating cervical spondylosis. Methods Qualified for the selective standard, 24 patients with cervical spondylosis were treated between March 2010 and March 2011. Of 24 patients, 13 patients underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) (ACDF group, between March 2010 and September 2010) and 11 patients underwent Discover cervical artificial disc replacement (CADR group, between September 2010 and March 2011). There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease duration, lesions typing, and affected segments between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). The operative time, blood loss, and complications were recorded. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores, and Odom’s scores were used to evaluate the postoperative effectiveness. In CADR group, the cervical range of motion (ROM) in all directions, and prosthesis eccentricity were measured before and after operation. Results Symptoms disappeared and no complication occurred after operation in the patients of 2 groups. The patients were followed up 12 to 18 months (mean, 15.3 months) in ACDF group and 6 to 12 months (mean, 9.6 months) in CADR group. The NDI scores in CADR group were significantly higher than those in ACDF group at 1, 3, and 6 months (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was observed in JOA score improvement rate between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). According to Odom’s score at last follow-up, the results were excellent in 6 cases, good in 4 cases, and fair in 3 cases with an excellent and good rate of 76.92% in ACDF group, and were excellent in 9 cases, good in 1 case, and poor in 1 case with an excellent and good rate of 90.91% in CADR group, showing no significant difference (χ2=3.000, P=0.223). The patients in CADR group had significant limit of cervical joint ROM in flexion and extension and right bending at 1 month (P lt; 0.05), but cervical joint ROM restored after 3 months. The ROMs of left bending at 3 months and 6 months were bigger than preoperative value (P lt; 0.05). Meanwhile, ROM in left bending were bigger than that in right bending in replaced segment and upper segment (P lt; 0.05), and the ROM difference between left bending and right bending in upper segment was 2 times higher than that in the replaced segment; a marked linear correlation (P lt; 0.05) existed between the ROM difference and prosthesis eccentricity, and prosthesis bias had bigger ROM in lateral bending. Conclusion Discover cervical artificial disc replacement for treatment of cervical spondylosis can provide a good effectiveness and cervical postoperative movement function. As a new prosthesis, it has some merits such as simple operative steps and less complications.
Objective To design an open shape memory alloy artificial vertebral body that can be used to reconstruct the vertebral body in spine diseases, such as thoracic-lumbar spine tumors, burst fracture of the vertebrae, kyphosis and scol iosis, and to evaluate the biomechanical stabil ity of lumbar functional segment unit after insertion with the shape memoryalloy artificial vertebral body. Methods The open shape memory alloy artificial vertebral body with nickel-titanium (NiTi)alloy was made. Eight fresh spine specimens (T14-L5) from normal adult porcine were used to detect the range of motion (ROM) in 4 models and were divided into 4 groups: intact vertebrae served as group A; pedicle screw fixation of T15, L1, L3, and L4 was given in group B; after total resection of L2, it was reconstructed by open shape memory alloy artificial vertebral body combined with pedicle screw fixation of T15, L1, L3, and L4 in group C; and after total resection of L2, it was reconstructed by titanium cage vertebral body combined with pedicle screw fixation of T15, L1, L3, and L4 in group D. The three-dimensional ROM of flexion, extension, left/right lateral bending, and left/right rotation in T15-L1, L1-3, and L3,4 segments were detected in turn by the spinal three-dimensional test machine MTS-858 (load 0-8 N•m). Results Compared with group A, groups B, C, and D had good stabil ity in flexion, extension, left/right lateral bending, and left/right rotation, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.05). There was no significant difference in the degree of each motion between group B and group C (P gt; 0.05). Group C had less degree of motion in T15-L1 and L3,4 segments than group D, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.05), but there was no significant difference in L1-3 segment (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion The open shape memory alloy artificial vertebral body has a reasonable structure and good biomechanical stabil ity, it can be used to stabil ize the spinal segment with pedicle screw fixation.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the single segmental cervical disc replacement with ProDisc-C, and to explore the location change of the flexion/extension center of rotation (COR) of the target level as well as its clinical significance. MethodsBetween June 2010 and February 2012, 23 patients underwent single segmental cervical disc replacement with ProDisc-C, and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Of 23 patients, 9 were male, and 14 were female with the age range from 27 to 65 years (mean, 45 years), and the disease duration ranged from 10 to 84 months (mean, 25 months). There were 15 patients with radiculopathy, 5 patients with myelopathy, and 3 patients with mixed cervical spondylosis. The involved segments were C4,5 in 5 cases, C5,6 in 14 cases, and C6,7 in 4 cases. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and neck disability index (NDI) were adopted to evaluate the effectiveness. Preoperative and Postoperative radiographic parameters, such as cervical overall range of motion (ROM), target segmental ROM, the adjacent segmental ROM, and intervertebral height were compared. Besides, the location changes of the COR of the target level were further analyzed by the alteration of its coordinates (COR-X,COR-Y), and the relationships between the location changes of the COR and the effectiveness or the radiographic results were analyzed. ResultsAll the operations were completed successfully; 1 case had hoarseness after operation, which disappeared at 3 months after operation. All cases were followed up 18.3 months on average (range, 6-36 months). There was no device migration, loosening, subsidence, or fracture at last follow-up. The JOA score increased significantly and the NDI score decreased significantly at last follow-up when compared with preoperative scores (P<0.05). No difference was found in the cervical overall ROM, target segmental ROM, the adjacent segmental ROM, and the COR-Y of the target level between pre-operation and last follow-up (P>0.05); while the intervertebral height and the COR-X increased significantly (P<0.05). The change of the COR-X had no obvious correlation with the postoperative JOA, NDI, and target segmental ROM (P>0.05). According to whether the difference of the COR-X between pre- and post-operation was less than the average value 1.86 mm or not, the patients were divided into 2 groups; significant difference was shown in the postoperative target segmental ROM between 2 groups (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in the postoperative JOA、NDI, cervical overall ROM, adjacent segmental ROM, and the intervertebral height between 2 groups (P>0.05). ConclusionSingle segmental cervical disc replacement with ProDisc-C can obtain satisfactory outcomes. The cervical overall ROM, target segmental ROM, and adjacent segmental ROM can be effectively maintained, and the intervertebral height is increased. The location of the flexion/extension COR of the target segment shifts forward after insertion of the ProDisc-C prosthesis, and the postoperative target segmental ROM becomes smaller as the distance of the displacement of the COR becomes greater.