Material science and biomechanical interactions in cervical disc arthroplasty

Historically, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been the preferred surgical technique to address myelopathy and radiculopathy due to cervical spine intervertebral disc disease. Continued design improvements and theoretical biomechanical advantages to cervical disc arthroplasty over the last decade have made cervical disc arthroplasty an appealing alternative to ACDF, especially in younger patient populations without significant spondylosis who may wish to preserve neck motion. This narrative review will discuss the recent advances in cervical disc arthroplasty in regard to material composition, overall design and resultant degrees of freedom of the devices, the potential sparing of neck range of motion, and the theoretical biomechanical advantages of an arthroplasty compared to an ACDF.