DOI: 10.36347/sasjs

Pages: 40-46

The objective of this study was to analyse the functional and radiographic long term results following anterior plate fixation of lower cervical spine comparing the outcome of two angular stable plating procedures. Prospective collected and retrospective evaluated case series Dep. Trauma Surgery, General Hospital Vienna, Austria, Level I Trauma Centre 65 patients (23 females, 42 males) with an average age of 37.1 (15 – 87) years were enrolled. 30 patients were treated by the Morscher Plate and entered study group A, 35 patients were stabilised with the Cervical Spine Locking Plate (CSLP) and entered group B. All patients were monitored for two years. Anterior plate fixation in fractures of the lower cervical spine with the Morscher Plate or the CSLP. Bone union, implant failure, Webster-Smiley scale. Bony union was achieved in 62 patients (95%). Non-union rate was 7% (n=2) in group A, and 3% (n=1) in group B. The rate of failures of reduction and fixation was 20% (n=6) in group A, and 14% (n=5) in group B respectively. Reoperations were necessary in 3 patients (3%). 58 (89%) patients were fully satisfied with their treatment. 7 patients (11%) complained about occasional or chronic pain and a decrease of motion. The overall functional outcome score was 1.70 in Group A, 1.65 in group B (Smiley Webster Scale).Our data reveal that comparing Morscher´s plate and the CSLP, we found no significant differences in terms of technical failures, complications or outcome in our dataset.