G

enerally, the discomfort caused by degenerative diseases of the spine is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and/or infiltrations. However, sometimes the only way to relieve pain and regain mobility is through surgery (cervical disc replacement).

There is a novel surgical technique to treat the most complex cases of cervical disc herniation, a degenerative disease that affects the cervical discs, which are located between the vertebrae of the spine and function as shock absorbers.

The procedure
This sophisticated procedure, called cervical arthroplasty, involves implanting a prosthesis, which is a flexible, synthetic device designed to replace the affected disc. This method allows faster recovery since it reduces the postoperative time from seven days to one. Also, patients do not need to wear a cervical collar after the procedure.

This new surgical modality obeys the current trend of placing prostheses to restore movement of the diseased joint, a technique widely used for example in cases of osteoarthritis of hip or knee.

Main advantages
In traditional surgeries, the affected disc is replaced by bone and the corresponding vertebrae are fixed using plates, in order to join that segment of the spine.

Unfortunately, these vertebral fusions have some disadvantages. Firstly, since the bone’s ability to heal is variable, it is possible for fusion to fail, which can lead to persistent neck pain. Furthermore, this type of joints can generate stiffness in the operated sector, which causes an increase in the mechanical requirements of the adjacent intervertebral discs.

The problem is that this transmitted overstrain can cause accelerated wear of the affected area, which sometimes results in the need for new surgeries to repair the area.

On the other hand, with the new technique, the prosthesis that is placed is not fixed to the upper and lower vertebrae but fits perfectly between the vertebral bodies.