Anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The histological and histochemical changes and osteogenicity of Synthos (tricalcium phosphate ceramic) implanted in the cervical intervertebral space were evaluated. The cervical vertebrae from C3-C6 were exposed in 20 dogs and discectomy was performed at the 3rd and 5th spaces. A dowel of Synthos was inserted into the 3rd space, and a piece of fresh autologous graft from the humerus was inserted into the 5th place. The animals were divided into 5 groups with 4 animals in each. Four animals were sacrificed at each of 3, 6, 12, 18 and 22 wk after the procedure. The C3-C6 vertebrae were removed en bloc. One half of each specimen was processed for histological examination of bone development; the other half was processed for the 2 color fluorescent labeling technique of Suzuki and Matthews for determination of osteogenesis at the time of operation and sacrifice. Various degrees of compression of the Synthos dowel were noted, with anterior and/or posterior displacement of the implant in 70% of the cases. Apparently the Synthos implant was biochemically and biomechanically unacceptable for this investigation.