Cervical disc replacement surgery: biomechanical properties, postoperative motion, and postoperative activity levels

Purpose of review: Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is an evolving technique used in the treatment of cervical disc disease. To remain up to date on studies regarding its efficacy, we sought to answer three questions: What do biomechanical studies demonstrate in regard to the kinematics of CDA? How does CDA affect cervical motion? What are the postoperative activity levels of patients after cervical disc arthroplasty?

Recent findings: 1) In regard to biomechanics, recent data suggests that CDA maintains motion while possibly altering facet biomechanics. 2) Radiographic data indicates a reliable maintenance of motion in the short and medium term. 3) Postoperative activity levels are assessed with clinical outcome data which demonstrate reliable improvement in pain and function. The data reviewed here establishes CDA as an efficacious treatment in the relief of symptoms from CDD. It is important to note however that an evaluation of CDA would benefit from more robust data, specifically in regards to long-term clinical outcomes.