An Improved Surgical Outcome with the Use of Intraoperative Discography

Cervical disc degeneration is the most common cause of cervical cord and nerve root dysfunction. The standard procedure for their treatment today remains the anterior cervical decompression and interbody fusion. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), first described by Smith and Robinson and by Cloward in the 1950s, is the most common surgical procedure proven successful in the treatment of symptoms caused by cervical degenerative disc disease including disc herniations and other compressive pathologies. The aim of our study was to assess the surgical and clinical outcome with the use of intraoperative discography in cervical disc surgery. Twenty-four patients with cervical disc were randomized to one of either groups, Group A, which comprimized ACD with the use of intra operative discography to asses completeness of removal or Group B, in which ACD was performed without discography. In group A, 11 (92%) patients had excellent outcome while 1 patient (8%) had good outcome. In group B, In group A, 10 patients (84%) had excellent outcome while 2 patients (16%) had good outcome. The use of intraoperative discocgraphy in anterior cervical discectomy assists in the complete removal of disc material and osteophytes especially laterally.