Does axial cervical pain improve with surgical fusion? A meta-analysis.

Objective: Axial neck pain is a prevalent condition that causes significant morbidity and productivity loss. This study aimed to review the current literature and define the impact of surgical intervention on the management of cervical axial neck pain.

Methods: A search was conducted of three databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane) for randomized controlled trials and cohort studies written in the English language with a minimum 6-month follow-up.