Bioresorbable anterior cervical plate device for multi-level degenerative disc disease: case report with 8-year follow-up

Abstract

Anterior cervical decompression and fusion is most successful when bone graft is combined with stabilizing instrumentation. The use of bioresorbable anterior cervical plates has been reported recently instead of the traditional titanium plate. We report a novel application of a bioresorbable plate in the management of a 69-year-old Caucasian female with multi-level, long-standing cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The patient previously had a failed anterior fusion with allograft and titanium instrumentation, and due to worsening symptoms, she underwent a revision anterior fusion using a bioresorbable cervical plate and a fibular allograft, in conjunction with posterior fusion with metal instrumentation. Successful fusion is visualized on CT imaging at 8-year follow-up. To our knowledge this is the first report of long-term follow-up showing successful fusion with this technology.