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 a 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.

The first surgery in the study took place at Cox South Hospital on January 17, 2003. Results from 47 patients, including pre-operative through 12-month follow-up analysis were reported by Dr. Mace to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Of the patients involved in the study, those treated with the PRESTIGE disc showed improvement similar to a traditional fusion surgery, but also maintained motion at the treated level. The early radiographic evidence shows maintenance of motion in the Prestige group nearing 100%.

Dr. Mace presented this promising evidence to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, which is comprised of over 5,000 neurosurgeons worldwide. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons exists “for the purpose of promoting the public welfare through the advancement of neurosurgery, by a commitment to excellence in education, and by dedication to research and scientific knowledge.”