• Fan Ding, Zhiwei Jia, Yaohong Wu, Chao Li, Qing He, and Dike Ruan.
• *Department of Orthopedics, Navy General Hospital, the Third Clinical College, Southern Medical University, Beijing, China; and †Department of Orthopedics, Wuhan Pu'Ai Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China.
• Spine. 2014 Nov 1;39(23):1934-42.

Study DesignA retrospective analysis.ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy between the fusion-nonfusion hybrid construct (HC: anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion plus artificial disc replacement, ACCF plus cADR) and anterior cervical hybrid decompression and fusion (ACHDF: anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion plus discectomy and fusion, ACCF plus ACDF) for 3-level cervical degenerative disc diseases (cDDD).Summary Of Background DataThe optimal anterior technique for 3-level cDDD remains uncertain. Long-segment fusion substantially induced biomechanical changes at adjacent levels, which may lead to symptomatic adjacent segment degeneration. Hybrid surgery consisting of ACDF and cADR has been reported with good results for 2-level cDDD. In this context, ACCF combining with cADR may be an alternative to ACHDF for 3-level cDDD.MethodsBetween 2009 and 2012, 28 patients with 3-level cDDD who underwent HC (n=13) and ACHDF (15) were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical assessments were based on Neck Disability Index, Japanese Orthopedic Association disability scale, visual analogue scale, Japanese Orthopedic Association recovery rate, and Odom criteria. Radiological analysis included range of motion of C2-C7 and adjacent segments and cervical lordosis. Perioperative parameters, radiological adjacent-level changes, and the complications were also assessed.ResultsHC showed better Neck Disability Index improvement at 12 and 24 months, as well as Japanese Orthopedic Association and visual analogue scale improvement at 24 months postoperatively (P<0.05). HC had better outcome according to Odom criteria but not significantly (P>0.05). The range of motion of C2-C7 and adjacent segments was less compromised in HC (P<0.05). Both 2 groups showed significant lordosis recovery postoperatively (P<0.05), but no difference was found between groups (P>0.05). The incidence of adjacent-level degenerative changes and complications was higher in ACHDF but not significantly (P>0.05).ConclusionHC may be an alternative to ACHDF for 3-level cDDD due to the equivalent or superior early clinical outcomes, less compromised C2-C7 range of motion, and less impact at adjacent levels.Level Of Evidence3.

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