ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT

Dr. Larson Specializes in Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery (ADR)

What Is Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery?

Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) surgery replaces diseased discs in the neck and is designed to maintain motion.  Traditionally, the same patient would have received a fusion. Fusion surgery remains highly effective, while also replacing diseased discs in the neck, but is designed to stop movement at the operated levels.

Early research into artificial disc replacement began in the 1960s because of the complications sometimes caused by spinal fusion. Insurance coverage changes over the last few years have enabled more and more patients to receive this alternative procedure to become the fastest growing procedure in spine; representing nearly 10% of fusions.
 
During disc replacement surgery, Dr. Larson removes your damaged disc and replaces it with an artificial disc. The goals of total disc replacement surgery are to maintain spinal balance and motion, reduce adjacent level degeneration and allow patients to get back to activities of daily living.
 
Disc replacement surgery is performed by Dr. Larson in either the cervical or neck region of the spine, or in the lumbar or lower back region. The surgical approach for the neck and lower back is through the front, referred to as an anterior approach. Disc replacement surgery starts with surgical access to the spine, followed by removal of the patient’s diseased disc. Once the diseased disc has been removed, the total disc replacement is implanted.

What Is A Mobi-C Cervical Disc

Mobi-C® Cervical Disc replaces diseased discs in the neck and is designed to maintain motion.  Traditionally, the same patient would have received a fusion. Fusion surgery, while also replacing diseased discs in the neck, is designed to stop movement at the operated levels.

How It Works

Mobi-C contains patented mobile bearing technology that allows the polyethylene core to slide and rotate inside the disc for self-adjustment to the cervical spine movements. This means that Mobi-C can react to the normal motion in the cervical spine.

Mobi-C provides bone sparing fixation without chisel cuts into the small vertebral bodies of the cervical spine, making it bone sparing.

Mobi-C Facts

  • The Mobi-C Cervical Disc is one of the most widely used cervical discs in the world. First implanted in France in November 2004, Mobi-C has now been implanted in more than 75,000 spinal levels in 25 countries.
  • Mobi-C entered an FDA clinical trial in 2006, in which 647 levels of Mobi-C were implanted. A total of 599 patients were involved in the clinical trial at 24 study centers across the U.S.  This represents the largest clinical trial ever conducted in the U.S. for cervical disc replacement.  Mobi-C received FDA approval in August of 2013, making it the first cervical disc with both one and two-level indications.
  • Mobi-C is made with two Cobalt Chromium alloy endplates that are plasma sprayed with titanium and coated with hydroxyapatite, and has an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene plastic insert (UHMWPE). These are proven materials that have been used in orthopedic applications for over 60 years.
  • Mobi-C is intended for adult patients (skeletally mature) with arm pain and/or neurological symptoms (such as weakness or numbness) with or without neck pain at one or two adjacent levels from C3 – C7 in the cervical spine. Patients should have failed non-surgical care (such as physical therapy or medications) for at least 6 weeks, or shown signs of progressively worsening symptoms.  Disc damage needs to be confirmed by a doctor’s review of CT, MRI, or x-ray images.  A doctor should always be consulted for proper indications and use of Mobi-C.

Here’s How It Works

Motion Matters

Mobile Core

  • Mobi-C is designed to replicate the natural motion of the cervical spine.
  • Mobi-C’s mobile core slides and rotates inside the disc, self-adjusting to the patient’s cervical spine’s movements. This means that Mobi-C can react to the normal motion in the cervical spine.
  • In addition, the mobile core is designed to allow for some movement, reducing the forces between the implant and vertebral bodies. The Mobi-C does not need invasive fixation features found in some cervical disc replacement devices.

Bone Sparing

  • Mobi-C provides bone sparing fixation without chisel cuts into the small vertebral bodies of the cervical spine. Some competitive discs achieve their fixation via keel cuts or screw holes into the bone.
  • Mobi-C was designed without a keel to minimize bone removal, applicable for both one and two-level indications. Minimizing bone removal can become important in two-level applications where integrity of the bone between the discs is important.
mobi-c

Mobi-C vs Fusion

Both fusion and Mobi-C artificial disc surgery:

  • Replace the damaged disc.
  • Try to match a healthy disc height to help un-trap any nerves.

Only the Mobi-C implant:

  • Tries to maintain neck movement.
  • Fits entirely within the disc space.

What Is A Prodisc C

TOTAL DISC REPLACEMENT

The treatment goal of the prodisc C Total Disc Replacement is to restore the normal dynamic function of the spine and to significantly reduce pain.

The function of the spine is restored through the mechanism of action of the device.  Pain reduction is achieved through the re-establishment of the disc height, and maintained by the prosthesis. The increase in height and the elimination of the herniated disc “opens” constricted nerve paths and the vertebral joints are restored to their physiological position.

Prior to the development of artificial discs the only surgical option was a fusion, in which adjacent vertebral bodies are “fused together” permanently using implants, bone chips and/or cages. The goal of prodisc C is to maintain mobility at the affected intervertebral disc and to reduce the extra loading on the adjacent intervertebral discs.

Prodisc C Goals

MAINTAIN SPINAL BALANCE AND MOTION

Degenerative disc disease can destabilize segments over time. In addition, performing the surgical discectomy is inherently destabilizing, as it involves the removal of the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament, the disc, and often, the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament. In the absence of these restricting structures, it is Important for a disc replacement to have constraints in order to protect the facet joints. In order to provide constraint, the prodisc mechanism of action enables movement with a fixed center of motion, enabling A/P translation only with flexion / extension.

In order to provide constraint, the prodisc mechanism of action enables movement with a fixed center of motion, enabling A/P translation only with flexion / extension.

Prodisc C Philosophy

MECHANISM OF ACTION

The pro disc implant is a ball and socket design with a fixed center of rotation. This patented design has been in clinical use since 1990 and utilized across the entire product platform. The fixed center of rotation allows physiological range of motion while providing stability to the spine and significantly reducing reoperations at the adjacent levels.