Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38664273›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2024

Predictors of failure after primary anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for subaxial traumatic spine injuries.

Aman Singh, Victor Gabriel El-Hajj, Alexander Fletcher-Sandersjöö, Nabeel Aziz, Abdul Karim Ghaith, Charles Tatter, Simon Blixt, Gunnar Nilsson, Mohamad Bydon, Paul Gerdhem and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Multi-class cervical spine fracture classification using deep ensemble model based on CT images.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  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

12 authors.

Aman Singh *Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Victor Gabriel El-Hajj *Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Alexander Fletcher-SandersjööDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Nabeel AzizDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abdul Karim GhaithMayo Clinic Neuro-Informatics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Charles TatterDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Simon BlixtClinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gunnar NilssonCapio Spine Center Stockholm, Löwenströmska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mohamad BydonMayo Clinic Neuro-Informatics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Paul GerdhemClinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Erik EdströmDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Adrian Elmi-TeranderDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Adrian.elmi.terander@ki.se.ORCID 0000-0002-3776-6136

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionTraumatic subaxial fractures account for more than half of all cervical spine injuries. The optimal surgical approach is a matter of debate and may include anterior, posterior or a combined anteroposterior (360º) approach. Analyzing a cohort of patients initially treated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for traumatic subaxial injuries, the study aimed to identify predictors for treatment failure and the subsequent need for supplementary posterior fusion (PF).

methodsA retrospective, single center, consecutive cohort study of all adult patients undergoing primary ACDF for traumatic subaxial cervical spine fractures between 2006 and 2018 was undertaken and 341 patients were included. Baseline clinical and radiological data for all included patients were analyzed and 11 cases of supplementary posterior fixation were identified.

resultsPatients were operated at a median of 2.0 days from the trauma, undergoing 1-level (78%), 2-levels (16%) and ≥ 3-levels (6.2%) ACDF. A delayed supplementary PF was performed in 11 cases, due to ACDF failure. On univariable regression analysis, older age (p = 0.017), shorter stature (p = 0.031), posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) injury (p = 0.004), injury to ligamentum flavum (p = 0.005), bilateral facet joint dislocation (p < 0.001) and traumatic cervical spondylolisthesis (p = 0.003) predicted ACDF failure. On the multivariable regression model, older age (p = 0.015), PLL injury (p = 0.048), and bilateral facet joint dislocation (p = 0.010) remained as independent predictors of ACDF failure.

conclusionsACDF is safe and effective for the treatment of subaxial cervical spine fractures. High age, bilateral facet joint dislocation and traumatic PLL disruption are independent predictors of failure. We suggest increased vigilance regarding these cases.

Indexed as

Cervical VertebraeDiskectomySpinal FracturesSpinal FusionTreatment FailureAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAnterior cervical discectomy and fusionSubaxial cervical spine fractureSupplementary posterior

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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.