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Disc
Currently, the standard surgical
treatment for cervical disease herniation is "anterior
cervical discectomy and fusion", or ACDF for short.
In this procedure, the damaged disc is removed completely,
relieving pressure on the nerves, and the disc is replaced
with a bone graft. The result is "fusion" of
two or more adjacent vertebrae. This is a very successful
operation, but does reduce the mobility of the spine,
especially as more vertebrae are incorporated into
the fusion. Furthermore, because of the increased stiffness
of the fused segment, the discs above and below the
fusion are under increased stress, and thought to be
prone to more rapid degeneration.
The artificial cervical disc is an alternative strategy
for dealing with cervical disc herniations. The disc
is still removed, but is replaced with a metal and
plastic prosthesis, which is designed to maintain
normal neck motion.
The cervical artificial disc has been used in Europe,
but is not yet FDA approved in the United States.
Clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness
of the devices have been underway in the US for some
time. Dr. Don Whiting of The Neurosurgery Group of
Western Pennsylvania is a clinical investigator studying
the "Bryan" artificial disc.
Read More:
(Tribune Review)
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