Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38390524›Full record

ArticleNorth American Spine Society journal2024

Anterior cervical decompression and fusion at one and two levels: trends and factors associated with structural allograft versus synthetic cages.

Lucas Kim, Jonathan N Grauer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in North American Spine Society journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Construct length rather than interbody spacer material is associated with reoperation after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2026
    Article
  2. Increased Odds of Perioperative Complications Following Lumbar Diskectomy Among Patients With a Colostomy.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2026
    Article
  3. Migraines as a Risk Factor for Many 90-Day Postoperative Complications Following Single-Level Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Article
  4. Decrease in Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury-related Care Disparities for Medicaid Patients From 2015 to 2020.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Lucas KimDepartment of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, 47 College Street, New Haven, New Haven, CT 06511, United States.
Jonathan N GrauerDepartment of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, 47 College Street, New Haven, New Haven, CT 06511, United States.

Funding

Yale Clinical and Translational Science Award (U Component)UL1TR001863 · NCATS · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI John H. Krystal, LUCILA OHNO-MACHADO · 2016 to 2026
$102.9M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001863
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Following decompression in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), reconstruction is typically done with structural allograft or a synthetic cage. Relative trends and factors associated with utilizing these implants have not been well characterized. Methods: The PearlDiver 2011 to 2021 M157 database was used to identify adult patients undergoing 1- or 2-level ACDF. The incidence of structural allograft versus synthetic cage utilized was compared by year. Patient factors predictive of synthetic cage use as the structural interbody for ACDF were assessed with multivariable analysis. Further, the use of anterior plates was trended to provide a measure of usage of stand-alone devices (this comparison was made beginning with 2016 based on coding limitations). Results: Of 173,833 isolated 1- or 2-level ACDF cases identified, structural allograft was used for 63,029 (36.3%) and synthetic cages were used for 110,804 (63.8%). The use of synthetic cages increased from 51.1% of cases in 2011 to 75.8% of cases in 2021 (p < 0.0001). Independent clinical predictors of synthetic cage use were: older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02 per decade), female sex (OR 1.04), and greater ECI (OR 1.09 per 2-point increase).Independent non-clinical predictors of synthetic cage use were: geographic region (Northeast OR 1.11, South OR 1.85, and West 2.08, each relative to Midwest), and provider specialty (orthopedic OR 1.06 relative to neurosurgeons). There was an increase in the percent of synthetic cases without separately coded plate ("stand-alone" interbody cages: 21.7% in 2016 to 35.3% in 2021, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The usage of synthetic cages in 1- and 2- level ACDF has increased relative to structural allograft between 2011 and 2021 in the United States and more recently the use of "stand-alone" synthetic cages has been on the rise. Non-clinical as well as clinical factors were associated with implant choice, suggesting room for more consistent care algorithms.

Indexed as

ACDFAllograftAnterior plateSynthetic cageTrends

Identifiers

PMID38390524
PMCPMC10882181

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.