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Winter 2008 (return to main News page)
This article appeared in the North Colorado Medical Center Newsletter – Winter 2008 issue.
NCMC’s First Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery Takes Place
Surgeons at North Colorado Medical Center are now using a new technique that offers some patients a chance to maintain motion in their necks following surgery for cervical degenerative disc disease.
Dr. Hans Coester, MD, with Front Range Center for Brain and Spine Surgery, performed a disc replacement surgery on Gerald Bradley of Greeley in November 2007. The new artificial disc, called the PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc, is inserted into the neck using a similar procedure to the technique surgeons use when performing a spinal fusion. The surgery is done to treat degenerative disc disease.
Bradley suffered from pain and numbness in his left arm in the months leading up to the surgery. About four months ago, Bradley awoke with numbness and tingling in his left arm. He said he tried to cope for several days before seeking treatment. An MRI revealed that Bradley’s fifth and sixth vertebrae were compressed and pinching nerves to the left side of his body.
At 36 years old, Bradley had no intention of solving his neck and arm pain by having disc fusion surgery. “I’m less than 40 years old,” said the self-employed landscaper. “I’m active with my kids.”
Bradley opted for the new disc replacement surgery at NCMC. The Prestige® Cervical Disc is a stainless steel surgical implant. Through a cervical disc arthroplasty, the diseased or degenerated disc is removed and replaced with the Prestige® Cervical Disc.
In the U.S. clinical trial of the Prestige® Cervical Disc, patients who received the disc showed improved neurological success at 24 months and improved overall success. Bradley said right after waking up from surgery, he could feel the change. “The tingling and numbness were gone. I could tell there was a big relief of pressure. It gradually gets better and better every day.”
In fact, Bradley quit taking pain medication within 48 hours after the surgery. In less than a week, he could move his head from side to side without pain. He can also bend down to put on his shoes without pain.
Neck pain patients can discuss their options with their physician to determine the extent of their spinal problems and whether surgery is a viable treatment option.
According to the manufacturer, more than 200,000 patients receive surgical treatment for cervical disc conditions each year in the United States. Physicians completed over 500 back surgeries at NCMC in 2007.
The Prestige® Cervical Disc is the first artificial disc approved for the cervical spine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Additional information is available at www.necksurgery.com and at www.prestigedisc.com. To learn more about NCMC, visit www.bannerhealth.com,
Keyword: NCMC.
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