Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with implantable titanium cage: initial impressions, patient outcomes and comparison to fusion with allograft.

Background Context: The use of metal cage prosthetic devices in anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF) has increased rapidly. One of these devices is the titanium Rabea cage (Signus, Alzenau, Germany) [correction]. There are no peer-reviewed objective reports on the use of these cages in cervical discectomy.

Prospective multiple outcomes study of outpatient lumbar microdiscectomy: should 75 to 80% success rates be the norm?

Object: The authors assessed the efficacy and outcomes of lumbar microdiscectomy performed on an outpatient basis by administering six questionnaires before and at five time points after surgery. The results were compared with those reported in literature in which the success rates vary between 70% and 80% and in excess of 90%. The authors use the methodology and data derived from their study to evaluate critically the relevance of these two categories of success rates.