Cervical Artificial Discs Provide Alternative to Cervical Spinal Fusion for Selected Patients
Dr. Federico Vinas practices Neurological Surgery in Daytona Beach, FL. As a Neurological Surgeon, Dr. Vinas prevents, diagnoses, evaluates, and treats disorders of the autonomic, peripheral, and central nervous systems. Neurological Surgeons are trained to treat such disorders as spinal canal stenosis, herniated discs,... more
Cervical Artificial Discs Provide Alternative to Cervical Spinal Fusion for Some Patients
Federico Vinas, MD, FAANS, FACS
Medical Director Neurosurgery
AdventHealth Daytona Beach
For many years, cervical spinal fusion was the only option for patients undergoing a discectomy to address unresolved pain, muscle spasms, numbness, or inflammation due to cervical disc disease. While still considered a safe, effective option today, spinal fusion reduces the range of motion and can also lead to adjacent level disease, resulting in degeneration in the discs immediately above and below the one that was removed and causing the need for additional surgery down the road. Performed in Europe for over 25 years, artificial cervical disc replacement has emerged as another surgical option for some patients. It provides the same pain relief as spinal fusion while protecting the patient’s natural range of motion and helping to prevent disc degeneration in the adjacent discs.
Artificial cervical discs were developed to mimic the properties and biomechanical function of a healthy human disc. In 2007, the FDA approved the first artificial disc for use in the United States, and the implants have continued to evolve and improve over the past decade.
Who Can Benefit from Cervical Artificial Discs?
While a tremendous advancement, cervical artificial discs are not a valid surgical option for all patients. This approach primarily benefits younger patients (under age 60) with disc herniation without instability. Counter-indications for cervical artificial disc surgery include being over 60 years of age, osteoporosis, arthritis, bone spurs, deterioration in multiple discs, infection, and allergy to Titanium.
Outcomes
Research has demonstrated that the use of an artificial disc can improve radiculopathy or cervical pain as safely and effectively as cervical fusion while preserving spine mobility and range of motion. In addition, it does not require a bone graft, eliminating the risk of nonunion (the bone graft not fusing with the spine) and often resulting in a quicker recovery and return to work and daily activities.
I have been doing cervical arthroplasties for the past 15 years with excellent outcomes, and continue offering this procedure at AdventHealth Daytona Beach.
