Is there a need for cervical collar usage post anterior cervical decompression and fusion using interbody cages? A randomized controlled pilot trial

33 patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) treatment (n=15 at final follow-up) were randomized to either wear a rigid cervical collar for 6 weeks post-surgery, or not. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of a trial evaluating the efficacy of rigid cervical collars post-surgery in terms of clinical outcomes. Results indicated that there was a significantly larger improvement in Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores and prospective neck pain in the collar group at 6 months; however, the results for the other outcomes and time points were statistically underpowered. Feasibility assessments indicated the need for a sample size 4 times larger to detect significant differences in these outcome measures.