Increased Fusion Rates With Cervical Plating for Three-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Abstract

The addition of plate fixation for three-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a safe procedure and does not result in higher complication rates. In this study, the pseudarthrosis rate was lower for patients with a cervical plate. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Patients treated with cervical plating had overall better results when compared with those of patients treated without cervical plates. Although the use of cervical plates decreased the pseudarthrosis rate, a three-level procedure is still associated with a high nonunion rate, and other strategies to increase fusion rates should be explored.