Results of the biocompatible osteoconductive polymer (BOP) as an intersomatic graft in anterior cervical surgery

Eighty-two patients operated on in our Department between 1989 and 1995 with an anterior cervical approach for soft and hard cervical disc herniations and cervical stenosis were included in this study. In 41 cases a heterologous intersomatic bovine graft (Surgibone(R)) was used. Another 41 patients underwent surgery with a biocompatible osteoconductive polymer (BOP(R)) as intervertebral graft. Both groups were retrospectively reviewed and compared with the objectives of evaluating the biodynamic behaviour of the grafts in the intersomatic space, the complications which appeared (specially those related to the grafts), the bone fusion rate achieved and the clinical outcome of the patients. The results of our study show that the BOP group presented a higher tendency to intersomatic space collapse 6 months after discectomy. There were no differences in the general surgical complications between both groups, but those related directly to the graft were significantly higher in the BOP group. The vast majority of the graft complications recorded had no clinical correlation. Without a strict radiological follow-up such complications would never have been discovered. Bone fusion in the BOP group was significantly slower and worse. Finally, the clinical outcome in both groups did not show any significant difference.