A new study published in Neurosurgery examines the i-Factor Bone Graft from Cerapedics.
Study authors compared 154 patients who underwent single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with 165 patients who underwent the procedure with i-Factor. Two years after surgery, study authors found:
1. Fusion rate was 97.3 percent in the i-Factor group and 94.4 percent in the autograft group.
2. For i-Factor patients, the patient-reported outcome scores were:
• Neck Disability Index score: 28.3
• Visual Analog Scale arm pain: 5.43
• Visual Analog Scale neck pain: 4.78
• Sort Form-36 physical component: 10.23
• SF-36 v2 mental component: 7.88
3. The patient-reported outcomes scores for the autograft group were:
• Neck Disability Index score: 26.95
• Visual Analog Scale arm pain: 4.97
• Visual Analog Scale neck pain: 4.41
• Sort Form-36 physical component: 10.18
• SF-36 v2 mental component: 7.53
4. The overall success for i-Factor subjects was 69.87 percent, compared to 56.35 percent among the autograft group. None of the i-Factor patients reported allergic reactions associated with i-Factor.
5. There were 12 patients in the i-Factor group and 16 patients in the autograft group who underwent reoperations.
"Use of i-Factor in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is effective and safe, and results in similar outcomes compared to local autograft bone at two years after surgery," concluded study authors.