Table 4.
Radiographic outcomes
| Variable | Cage (n = 41) | Plate (n = 27) | p-value† |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swelling index average‡ | |||
| Preoperative | 67.9 ± 18.4 | 75.0 ± 13.1 | 0.107 |
| 6-Week postoperative | 75.4 ± 16.4 | 87.6 ± 18.3 | 0.010* |
| 12-Week postoperative | 72.0 ± 15.9 | 80.5 ± 19.3 | 0.091 |
| Swelling index ∆ | |||
| ∆ 6-Week postoperative | 7.5 ± 11.6 | 12.6 ± 13.5 | 0.124 |
| ∆ 12-Week postoperative | 5.2 ± 9.3 | 6.0 ± 12.7 | 0.785 |
| Air index average‡ | |||
| Preoperative | 107.1 ± 20.6 | 115.5 ± 14.2 | 0.088 |
| 6-Week postoperative | 106.6 ± 22.4 | 109.9 ± 18.0 | 0.551 |
| 12-Week postoperative | 105.3 ± 22.4 | 108.6 ± 17.7 | 0.575 |
| Air index ∆ | |||
| ∆ 6-Week postoperative | -0.5 ± 14.8 | -5.6 ± 14.1 | 0.189 |
| ∆ 12-Week postoperative | -1.4 ± 14.8 | -7.3 ± 17.8 | 0.209 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation.
Air index Δ/swelling index Δ=postoperative air/swelling index average – preoperative air/swelling index average.
*
p<0.05, statistically significant difference.
†
p-value calculated using Student t-test.
‡
Air index average/swelling index average=average of tracheal air/pretracheal swelling measurement for index, index±1-level.