Safety and Efficacy of the VariLift-C® Cervical Standalone Interbody Fusion Device with Emphasis on Multiple-level and Prior Fusion Cases

Introduction The VariLift-C(®) is a stand-alone, expandable, cervical interbody fusion device, not requiring the addition of anterior plating. Because of the access and placement technique, as well as not needing a plate, the device could potentially be used preferentially for patients with prior anterior fusions or for multiple, non-contiguous vertebral segments. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted and all cases of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using VariLift-C(®) implants by a single surgeon were included. Patient baseline and operative characteristics were collected, and their follow-up notes were searched for outcomes. Descriptive statistics are provided. Results Seventy-one patients were included in this study, 14 of which had had a prior fusion, and 32 underwent a multilevel ACDF. A total of 108 cervical levels were fused. Mean age (± SD) at surgery was 50.3 ± 11.4 years and mean (± SD) follow-up was 6.5 ± 10.7 months. There were 39 single-level, 27 two-level and five three-level fusions. Four cases (5.6%) underwent multilevel re-operations. Thirty-three patients (80.3%) reported substantial improvement in their symptoms on follow-up, 19 of whom (26.8%) had no residual symptoms. Only two patients (2.8%) reported a worsened condition after surgery. There were 10 cases (12.8%) of postoperative neurologic deficit, one case of dysphagia and three cases of vocal cord paresis. Conclusions These results display the use of VariLift-C(®) for symptomatic cervical degenerative disorders, with a focus on fusion extension or multiple-segment ACDF procedures. Our experience with favorable self-reported outcomes and low complication rates showcases the safety and efficacy of the VariLift-C(®) device for ACDF.