Dysphagia after anterior cervical discectomy and interbody fusion

Czech version

Authors: R. Opšenák; B. Kolarovszki; M. Benčo; J. Šutovský; R. Richterová; P. Snopko
Authors‘ workplace: Neurochirurgická klinika JLF UK a UN Martin, Slovenská republika
Published in: Gastroent Hepatol 2017; 71(2): 150-155
Category: Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology: Original Article
doi: https://doi.org/10.14735/amgh2016csgh.info17

Overview

Introduction:
Dysphagia is a common finding after anterior cervical discectomy. The incidence and the severity of swallowing disorders after surgery vary and depend on many factors.

Patients and Methods:
A single-center, prospective, open study, with a follow-up period of 6 months, was used to evaluate 66 patients after one- or two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with cages Zero-P VA^® or ROI-C^® in the period from May 2012 to August 2014. The severity of swallowing disorders was assessed using the Bazaz-Yoo dysphagia score before surgery, and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Authors investigated the influence of factors such as preexisting dysphagia, gender, number of operated segments, smoking, and duration of surgery on the incidence of postoperative dysphagia. The correlation between the duration of surgery and severity of postoperative dysphagia was also examined.

Results:
In the whole group of patients, dysphagia was present in 15% of patients before surgery, and 56% of patients reported swallowing difficulties 6 weeks after surgery, 32% of patients at 3 months after surgery, and 18% of patients at 6 months after surgery. No patient reported severe dysphagia during the whole period of observation. There was no significant relationship between the incidence of preexisting and postoperative dysphagia. Preexisting swallowing difficulties have been reported by 3% of smokers and 24% of non-smokers, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05). Throughout the observation period, no significant relationship between gender, smoking, number of operated segments, duration of surgery, and the incidence of postoperative dysphagia was observed. There was no correlation between the duration of surgery and the severity of postoperative dysphagia throughout the observation period.

Conclusion:
Most patients experienced mild swallowing disorders 6 weeks after ACDF, but not during the postoperative period. Preexisting dysphagia, gender, smoking, number of operated segments, and duration of surgery had no influence on the incidence of dysphagia after ACDF. The duration of the surgery did not correlate with the severity of dysphagia after surgery.

Key words:
cervical spine – discectomy – dysphagia – risk factors

The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.

The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE „uniform requirements“ for biomedical papers.

Submitted:
17. 1. 2016

Accepted:
5. 7. 2016

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