Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute - SNSI Implants First Patient with Artificial Cervical disc

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SNSI Implants First Patient with Artificial Cervical disc

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

SNSI Implants First Patient with Artificial Cervical disc

Friday, January 17, 2003

Springfield, Missouri- Dr. Thomas Briggs and Dr. Wade Ceola performed a revolutionary surgical procedure today when an artificial cervical disc was implanted into a CoxHealth patient’s cervical spine to alleviate cervical spondylosis. This is the first surgical case in which CoxHealth utilized the PRESTIGE Artificial Cervical disc, an implant designed to closely match the function of a normal spinal disc space and provide patients with more normal neck movement following surgery. The prosthesis consists of two metallic components and is affixed to the vertebral bodies with screws. The two components are designed to act as a pivot point, which allows the spinal segment to undergo a range of motion.

discs are gel-like cushions that act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae in the spine. Herniation, resulting from disc degeneration, injury or heavy lifting, can occur when a portion of the disc is pushed out of place and presses on adjacent nerve endings connected to the arm. Cervical disc disease affects about half of people over 40. About 95 percent of patients get better after several months of non-surgical treatment, such as medication, physiotherapy and massage therapy. Dr. Briggs felt his patient was an ideal candidate for the PRESTIGE Artificial Cervical disc System after pain management therapies were ineffective in relieving the patient’s pain.

Currently, the most common form of surgery for treating symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease is anterior cervical disc fusion. In this operation, the cervical spine is reached through an incision in the anterior (front) of the neck, and the injured disc is removed and replaced with bone from the patient’s hip or human cadaver. The disc space and bone graft area may then be covered with an anterior cervical plate attached to the spinal column with screws. The graft material promotes the growth of new bone to fuse the vertebrae together. This ultimate fusion of bone limits a patient’s ability to move the neck and may put added stress on the vertebrae above and below the fusion. The PRESTIGE Artificial Cervical disc System eliminates the need for the human bone, allows motion of the neck, and may reduce the likelihood of stress on the surrounding vertebrae which could lead to further degeneration in adjacent discs.

U.S. clinical evaluations of the PRESTIGE Artificial Cervical disc System began in late 2002 under an Investigational Device Exemption granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The PRESTIGE disc has been evaluated in controlled clinical investigations in Europe since 1996. “This device may become standard practice in the future if the patient benefits far exceed the current anterior cervical fusion procedure” states Dr. Ceola. The technology used for the PRESTIGE disc has been long anticipated by spine surgeons since the first artificial hip joint replacement surgery in the 1960s.

The PRESTIGE Artificial Cervical disc System is manufactured by Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc., headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Medtronic is the exclusive distributor for the device outside the U.S.

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