[EFFECTIVENESS COMPARISON BETWEEN ANTERIOR CERVICAL ZERO- PROFILE INTERBODY FUSION DEVICE AND ANTERIOR CERVICAL PLATE CAGE BENEZECH].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between anterior cervical Zero-profile interbody fusion device (Zero-P) and anterior cervical plate device (plate cage benezech, PCB) for cervical disease. METHODS: Between February 2011 and January 2013, 98 patients with cervical spondylosis who accorded with the inclusion criteria were treated with Zero-P in 49 cases (group A) and with PCB in 49 cases (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease type, disease duration, and disease segments between 2 groups (P>0.05). The Cobb angle, short-form 36 health survey scale (SF-36 scale), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, postoperative dysphagia cases, neck disability index (NDI), and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were compared between 2 groups. RESULTS: The operation time and intraoperative blood loss of group A were significantly less than those of group B (t = 4.089, P = 0.000; t = 3.587, P = 0.001). The patients were followed up 3-36 months (mean, 18.5 months). No loosening or breaking of internal fixation and bone absorption or collapse occurred in the other patients except 2 patients who suffered from screw loosening at 3 months after operation. Within 6 months after operation, dysphagia occurred in 8 cases (16.33%) of group A and in 13 cases (26.53%) of group B, showing significant difference (χ2 = 10.616, P = 0.001). At last follow-up, JOA score, VAS score, NDI, SF-36 scale, and Cobb angle were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones in 2 groups (P<0.05); the other indexes of group A were significantly better than those of group B (P < 0.05) except SF-36 scale and Cobb angle (P>0.05). The excellent and good rate of JOA score was 81.63% in group A and 71.43% in group B, showing significant difference (χ2 = 4.346, P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: Zero-P and PCB can get good results in treatment of cervical disease, but the Zero-P is better than PCB in reducing postoperative dysphagia because less wounds and strong stability.