ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISCECTOMY AND FUSION (ACDF): A REVIEW OF SURGICAL APPROACHES FOR CERVICAL SPINE DISORDERS

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is one of the most widely performed surgical procedures for managing cervical spine pathologies,including cervical radiculopathy,myelopathy, and traumatic or degenerative disc disease.This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution,surgical techniques,graft materials,instrumentation options, clinical outcomes, and complication profiles of ACDF, with emphasis on the comparative analysis of alternative anterior and posterior approaches. Literature from pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar between 1950 and 2025 was reviewed. Evidence suggests that ACDF provides high rates of symptom resolution and fusion success, though risk of complications such as dysphagia, adjacent segment disease, and pseudarthrosis persists. Advancements in minimally invasive techniques and biomaterials continue to refine surgical outcomes.