Objective To explore the relationship among the prevertebral soft tissue swelling, surgical extent, surgical segments, and complications and to investigate the clinical significance of lateral radiographs for evaluating the postoperative prevertebral soft tissue swelling. Methods 123 patients who underwent anterior cervical fusion with plate augmentation for cervical spondylosis were included in this study. The postoperative prevertebral soft tissue swelling was measured by lateral radiographs. The data were analysed according to surgical extent and surgical segments. Patients were divided into the swelling group (61cases, >9. 98 mm) and the non-swelling group (62 cases, <9. 98 mm) based on the degree of prevertebral soft tissue swelling. The incidences of complications, such as dyspnea and dysphagia, were ana-lysed. Results The rate of dyspnea was 21. 3% in swelling group, which was higher than 8. 1% in non-swelling group (P<0. 05). The rate of dysphagia was 83. 6% in swelling group, which was higher than 25. 8% in non-swelling group (P<0. 05). In addition, postoperative prevertebral soft tissue swelling was 8. 29 mm averagely after one-level fusion, which was less than that after two or more levels fusion (11. 55 mm and 10. 40 mm) (P<0. 05). Postoperative prevertebral soft tissue swelling was 10. 94 mm after high-level fusion (above C4), which was more than that low-level fusion (below C5) (8. 63 mm) (P<0. 05). Conclusion After anterior cervical fusion for cervical spondylosis, when the degree of prevertebral soft tissue swelling is greater the incidences of complications such as dyspnea and dysphagia might be higher. In addition, prevertebral soft tissue swelling increments are significantly greater in patients who had undergone multi-level or high-level fusion ( above C5 ) . Evaluation of prevertebral soft tissue swelling using lateral radiographs is a clinically meaningful procedure.%目的：了解椎前软组织肿胀和手术范围、手术节段及相关并发症之间的关联,探讨侧位X线在椎前软组织肿胀评估中的临床意义。方法侧位X线测量计算123例颈椎前路融合术患者的椎前软组织肿胀宽度,按照C3水平椎前软组织肿胀宽度9.98 mm为分界,将病例分为肿胀组(大于9.98 mm)61例和非肿胀组(小于9.98 mm)62例,比较分析吞咽困难、呼吸困难等并发症的发生情况。结果肿胀组术后呼吸困难发生率为21.3%,高于非肿胀组的8.1%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)；肿胀组术后吞咽困难发生率为83.6%,高于非肿胀组的25.8%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。单节段手术后椎前软组织肿胀平均为8.29 mm,明显低于双节段和多节段手术(11.55 mm和10.40 mm),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。高节段手术后(C4以上)椎前软组织肿胀为10.94 mm,明显高于低节段手术后(C5及以下)的8.63 mm(P<0.05)。结论颈椎前路融合术患者术后椎前软组织肿胀程度较高时术后吞咽困难和呼吸困难等并发症发生率也较高；多节段手术或高节段( C5以上)手术患者术后椎前软组织肿胀程度较高。因此,根据颈椎侧位X线评估椎前软组织肿胀程度具有一定的临床意义。
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