What is Cervical Disc Replacement?
The cervical disc replacement was first designed to answer the problem of increased motion at the adjacent level caused by cervical fusion. The increased motion after a fusion caused a high rate of adjacent level disc deterioration. Proponents of cervical artificial disc replacement believe that preserving motion within the damaged vertebral segment could allow the spine to restore its balance and maintain more natural mechanics, and may decelerate degeneration in adjacent vertebral segments in the spine over time. Cervical Total Disc Replacement provides US spine surgeons a clinically proven alternative to fusion surgery for the treatment of intractable symptomatic cervical disc disease. Spinal fusion is intended to relieve pain by eliminating motion at the diseased vertebral segment, but it can create spinal imbalance, alter the biomechanics of the spine, and increase stresses and motion in adjacent vertebral segments that may accelerate further degeneration. The cervical Total Disc Replacement provides the potential to restore motion at that level and maintain normal motion at adjacent levels.
Cervical Disc Replacement Preserves Motion
Motion preservation of the cervical spine is recognized as a breakthrough in spine surgery and is expected to make a significant impact in the United States. Dr. Guy Fogel of San Antonio can provide the minimally invasive procedure known as a Cervical Disc Replacement.
Cervical Disc Surgical Procedure
The Disc Replacement is implanted in the cervical spine through a small incision in the patient’s neck. – During the Disc Replacement procedure, the surgeon removes the diseased intervertebral disc, decompresses the neurological elements and inserts a disc implant into the disc space.
Results of Cervical Disc Replacement:
- Hospital stay of 1 day
- Blood loss 5 cc
- Disc height restored
- Spondylolisthesis improved
- Pain: 8.3 improved to 2.4
- Return Work 2 wks full-time
- Good and Excellent Outcomes 94%
- Complications of Pro Disc
- Incidence of secondary surgery was 1.9% in Disc replacement—4 times less than with fusion
- Any patient with severe arm or neck pain could be treated with implant removal and fusion.
- Product Description
The ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement is similar to joint replacement devices that have been successfully used for many decades. The ProDisc-C implant is comprised of three components: two metal endplates separated by a medical grade plastic core. The endplates are made of cobalt chrome alloy (CoCrMo) and the plastic core is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The implant materials have proven biocompatibility in the body. These materials have been used in spinal disc replacement for over two decades and are the most commonly used materials in knee and hip replacements.
Advantages of Cervical Disc Replacement over Fusion
The ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement was determined to be safe and effective for the treatment of intractable symptomatic cervical disc disease (SCDD) by the FDA.
- ProDisc-C patients demonstrated a significant improvement in pain and disability and required fewer re-operations than ACDF patients.
- Patients receiving the ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement demonstrated a mean range of motion of 9.4° at the 24-month follow-up.
- Only surgeons who have completed an intensive training program can implant the ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement
