ACDF for Single Level Disc Disease

Cervical degenerative disc disease encopmass numer of symptoms due to damaged disc. This includes neck pain, radiculopathy or myelopathy. Historically, operative treatment due to disc disease was initially actualized in 1955. Non operative treatment includes physical therapy, nerve root block, traction and drug therapy.In our series of 45 patients, surgery was indicated when there was weakness of the arm, physical therapy has failed and mri confirmed existence of herniated disc. Disease was manifested with neck pain, radiculopathy, weakness, numbness and myelopathy. We performed ACDF in all patients to prevent disc space to collapse, to improve fusion rate, to increase the stability and to minimize the risk of graft extrusion. We evaluated the outcome with the nek disability index. Neck pain in all patients was relieved and fusion after 3,6 and 12 month follow up was evaluated as good and excellent.In our experience, ACDF is safe and effective procedure to treat single level disc disease with intractable pain with or without neurologic deficit.