Artificial Cervical Disc

Cervical and lumbar disc replacement have shown promising results compared with spinal fusion for the treatment of neck and lower back conditions, but sources said surgical skepticism and insurance barriers have stifled utilization rates.

Results published in The Spine Journal showed an artificial cervical disc may yield improved clinical outcomes compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the treatment of single-level degenerative cervical radiculopathy.

ZimVie Inc. has announced FDA approval of a 4.5-mm Mobi-C artificial disc for patients undergoing cervical disc replacement, according to a company press release.

NuVasive Inc. has acquired Simplify Medical for an upfront payment of $150 million, according to a press release.

Use of an artificial cervical disc from Spinal Kinetics LLC in the treatment of degenerative cervical radiculopathy was safe, effective and noninferior compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, according to published results.

Artificial disc replacement has become increasingly established as a viable and promising option for treatment of the cervical degenerative disc. Recent studies have shown noninferiority or even superiority of the procedure compared with traditional anterior cervical decompression and fusion. These results were not readily apparent in one-level studies, but became more evident in two-level studies.