Objective:

Anterior cervical discectomy is a common procedure in neurosurgery. MRI can be used for the diagnosis of the disease and follow up. This study aimed to evaluate postoperative period and adjacent segment disease with MRI after the anterior cervical disc surgery.

Material and Methods:

Thirty consecutive patients include 44 segments with anterior cervical discectomy from 2014-2015 were invited to follow-up and investigated with preoperative and postoperative MRI. Median follow-up was 19 months.

Results:

Prevalence of Modic changes and uncovertebral hypertrophy were higher in the postoperative period (P<0.001). Degeneration of the adjacent segments were seen 22.7% postoperatively. The adjacent segments degeneration was higher in blade-peek cage than peek cage (P=0.026). All patients showed type 3 Modic changes after 30 months and uncovertebral hypertrophy was detected after 36 months in the postoperative period.

Conclusion:

After the anterior cervical disc surgery, degenerative endplate changes and uncovertebral hypertrophy increase in course of time. Type 3 Modic changes and uncovertebral hypertrophy occur in all patients at the end of the 3 years after the surgery. Degeneration of the adjacent segment is seen almost 1/5, which has a higher prevalence in used blade-peek cage.

Keywords: Anterior cervical discectomy, Modic Change, Uncovertebral hypertrophy, Adjacent segment degeneration, Peek cage, Blade-Peek cage