Comparison of Hybrid Surgery Incorporating Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion and Artificial Arthroplasty Versus Multilevel Fusion for Multilevel Cervical Spondylosis: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Few studies have reported the safety and efficacy of hybrid surgery (HS), and some of the studies comparing HS with ACDF have reported conflicting results. We conducted this meta-analysis to clarify the advantages of HS in the treatment of multilevel cervical spondylosis. Material/Methods: We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed, Medline, and CNKI to identify relevant controlled trials published up to October 2015. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the perioperative parameters, visual analogue scale pain score (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and range of motion (ROM) of C2-C7 and adjacent segments were calculated. We also analyzed complications and Odom scale scores using risk difference (RD) and 95% CI. Results: In total, 7 studies were included. The pooled data exhibited significant differences in blood loss between the 2 groups. However, there was no evidence indicating significant differences in operation time, complications, VAS, NDI, or Odom scale scores. Compared with the ACDF group, the HS group exhibited significantly protected C2-C7 ROM and reduced adjacent-segment ROM. Conclusions: The safety of HS may be as good as that of ACDF. Furthermore, HS is superior to ACDF in conserving cervical spine ROM and decreasing adjacent-segment ROM. However, the results should be accepted cautiously due to the limitations of the study. Studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are required to confirm and update the results of the present study.