A study published in Clinical Spine Surgery compares PEEK cages with an Acrylic cage for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
The study authors examined 64 patients who were eligible to participate. The patients either underwent spinal fusion with the Acrylic interbody fusion cage filled with bone substitute or PEEK cage. The study authors found:
1. There was a statistically significant improvement in clinical outcomes for the patients who received the Acrylic cage when compared with the PEEK cage.
2. At six and 12 months, the researchers reported a statistically significant difference in disc height increase between the two groups.
3. The patients who received the Acrylic cage had a higher fusion rate — 96.9 percent — than the PEEK cage patients — 93.8 percent.
4. The intervertebral angle had a significant difference between the two groups.
5. The study authors associated the Acrylic cage with good clinical and radiologic outcomes and concluded "it can therefore be a good substitute for bone graft and other cages in ACDF."