WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with single-level cervical disc disease, arthroplasty with a cervical disc prosthesis appears to be a reasonable alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.

John G. Heller, M.D., of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and colleagues analyzed data from 463 subjects who were randomized to receive the investigational Bryan Cervical Disc or fusion with anterior cervical plating and bone allograft. The primary endpoint was a measure of "overall success," which included at least a 15-point improvement in neck disability index score, stability or improvement in neurological status, and no serious adverse events related to the implant or surgery.

At 24 months, the investigational group had more improvement in neck disability index score and overall success, the researchers report. This group also had statistically similar rates of serious adverse events related to the implant or surgery as the control group (1.7 percent versus 3.2 percent), and patients receiving the disc returned to work nearly two weeks earlier, the authors note.

"Anterior discectomy and fusion has been clinically successful with high patient satisfaction rates for decades. Therefore, it serves as a rigorous benchmark for comparison. Cervical disc replacement after anterior neurologic decompression may be an alternative to fusion in selected patients," Heller and colleagues write. "Despite being designed and powered as a non-inferiority study, the results demonstrate significantly better improvements in overall success and some other key clinical endpoints in arthroplasty patients at 24-months follow-up."

Medtronic sponsored this trial, and one or more authors are deriving benefits from a commercial party related to the article.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)