Cervical artificial disc replacement

Abstract

Cervical disc replacement has recently become available in the United States and is gaining notoriety. It is widely publicized throughout the media and medical journals. Despite this, few clinicians are familiar with the actual indications for cervical disc arthroplasty. The role of disc replacement is somewhat of an enigma when treating cervical pathology. This article is intended to describe the procedure of cervical artificial disc replacement and address its appropriate use. The indications have been reviewed along with discussion regarding which patients may benefit from this surgical procedure.