OBJECTIVES: To comparatively evaluate the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease by anterior approach using plates associated or cages and PEEK device alone. METHODS: A retrospective study comparing two groups of patients treated by anterior arthrodesis was performed. Seventy patients were randomly selected, 35 operated using plates associated with cages - Group I - and 35 with cages in PEEK alone - Group II. Medical history was obtained as well as physical examination, pain scores (pain visual analogue score) and function scores (Odom's criteria, SF-36, Neck Disability Index) and the pre and postoperative imaging studies. RESULTS: There was a predominance of female patients in both groups, with a mean age of 55 years in Group I and 47 in Group II. Both groups showed a similar distribution of the number of levels operated, as well as the complications and pain scores, SF36 and neck disability index pre- and postoperatively. There was a fusion rate of 97.1% with 94.3% of good results in Group I and 100% of fusion, with 97% of good results in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: The comparative study of arthrodesis using anterior approach with use of plates and cages and cages in PEEK alone had similar and satisfactory results for both groups, showing no superiority or inferiority of one method over another.
Arthrodesis; Cervical vertebrae; Spine
