Efficacy of Standalone Cage Implantation in Degenerative Cervical Spine Disease: A Clinical and Radiological Outcome Study

Background: Degenerative cervical spine disease remains a major cause of neck and arm pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy in adults. Conventional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) often employs cage-plus-plate fixation, but standalone interbody cages are gaining popularity to minimize soft-tissue complications. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included 48 patients (mean age: 54.2 ± 9.6 years) with single- or two-level degenerative cervical disc disease who underwent ACDF using standalone interbody cages at IGIMS, Patna (2020–2022). Clinical outcomes (VAS, NDI, and mJOA) and radiological parameters (lordosis, disc height, fusion, and subsidence) were recorded preoperatively and at 3, 12, and 24 months. Results: At a mean follow-up of 24.3 months, the mean VAS neck pain decreased from 7.4 to 2.1 ( P < 0.001), NDI improved from 38.5 to 14.2 ( P < 0.001), and mJOA improved from 13.2 to 15.6 ( P < 0.001). Global cervical lordosis improved from 16.8° to 22.3° ( P < 0.001); disc height increased from 4.6 to 6.2 mm ( P < 0.001). Fusion rate was 91.7%, and subsidence was 10.4%. Dysphagia occurred transiently in 6.3%. Conclusion: Standalone cage implantation provides significant clinical and radiological improvement with high fusion rates and low complication rates, serving as a reliable alternative to traditional cage-plus-plate ACDF.