BACKGROUND: We have conducted a prospective study to investigate the relationship between cervical spine alignment and clinical outcome in 102 patients undergoing anterior contralateral microdiskectomy without interbody graft or cage. METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative lateral cervical radiographs were obtained, and curvature of the surgically treated spinal segments and the overall curvature of the cervical spine were evaluated in all patients. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the NDI and SF-36. RESULTS: There was no significant change in the mean overall cervical curvature (C2-C7) angles postoperatively in late follow-up findings (P = .72). It represented a statistically significant mean loss of 2.73 degrees of segmental lordosis (P < .0001). The NDI scores decreased significantly in both early and late follow-up evaluations, and the SF-36 scores demonstrated significant improvement in late follow-up results in our series. Analysis of clinical outcome showed no statistical differences between patients with segmental lordosis or kyphosis. CONCLUSION: Despite the kyphosis seen at the treated levels, the overall alignment between C2 and C7 did not change significantly, indicating that the untreated segments of the cervical spine were compensating for focal kyphosis.
BACKGROUND: We have conducted a prospective study to investigate the relationship between cervical spine alignment and clinical outcome in 102 patients undergoing anterior contralateral microdiskectomy without interbody graft or cage. METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative lateral cervical radiographs were obtained, and curvature of the surgically treated spinal segments and the overall curvature of the cervical spine were evaluated in all patients. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the NDI and SF-36. RESULTS: There was no significant change in the mean overall cervical curvature (C2-C7) angles postoperatively in late follow-up findings (P = .72). It represented a statistically significant mean loss of 2.73 degrees of segmental lordosis (P < .0001). The NDI scores decreased significantly in both early and late follow-up evaluations, and the SF-36 scores demonstrated significant improvement in late follow-up results in our series. Analysis of clinical outcome showed no statistical differences between patients with segmental lordosis or kyphosis. CONCLUSION: Despite the kyphosis seen at the treated levels, the overall alignment between C2 and C7 did not change significantly, indicating that the untreated segments of the cervical spine were compensating for focal kyphosis.