Risk Factors For Dysphagia After Singe-level Anterior Cervical Fusion

Objective:To explore the risk factors for dysphagia after singe-level anterior cervical fusion.Methods:From January 2011 to June 2013,44 patients with dysphagia and 213 patients with no dysphagia after singe-level anterior cervical fusion were studied retrospectively. The baseline data informations(age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, smoking history, drinking history, hypertension, diabetes, course length, type of cervical spondylosis) and perioperative data (blood loss, internal fixation, the location of the operated level, operation time, the side of operation approach) between two groups were compared by Logistic regression analysis to determine risk factors for postoperative dysphagia.Results:The total of 257 patients were included with a follow-up for 6 to 24 months postoperatively and 44 of them developed dysphagia after singe-level anterior cervical fusion. The overall prevalence for postoperative dysphagia was 17.1%. Univariate analysis indicates age, gender, the location of the operated level and course length were associated with postoperative dysphagia. Logistic regression analysis of multivariate analysis demonstrated that independent predictors for postoperative dysphagia included gender (female), age (> 60 years), the location of the operated level(C4-5, C5-6), course length(> 12 months).Conclusion:Female, old age, the location of the operated level and course length are the risk factors for dysphagia after singe-level anterior cervical fusion.