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What Is Cervical Disc Arthroplasty?

Cervical disc arthroplasty is spine surgery that removes a diseased cervical disc and replaces it with an artificial disc designed to preserve motion at that spinal level. It is also called cervical artificial disc replacement. The surgeon decompresses the spinal cord or nerve roots in a manner similar to anterior cervical discectomy but places a mobile implant instead of fusing the vertebrae. The goal is to relieve nerve compression while maintaining movement between the treated vertebral bodies.

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What Is Cervical Disc Arthroplasty?

Cervical disc arthroplasty is spine surgery that removes a diseased cervical disc and replaces it with an artificial disc designed to preserve motion at that spinal level. It is also called cervical artificial disc replacement. The surgeon decompresses the spinal cord or nerve roots in a manner similar to anterior cervical discectomy but places a mobile implant instead of fusing the vertebrae. The goal is to relieve nerve compression while maintaining movement between the treated vertebral bodies.

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Why Is Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Performed?

The procedure is used for selected adults with symptomatic cervical degenerative disc disease causing radiculopathy, myelopathy, or both when appropriate nonsurgical treatment has not provided sufficient relief. Depending on the specific FDA-approved device, treatment can involve one or two adjacent cervical levels. Good candidates generally have adequate bone quality and no severe instability, advanced facet-joint arthritis, major deformity, or severe spondylosis at the treatment level. Fusion can be more appropriate when motion preservation would be unsafe or when the anatomy falls outside the implant's approved indications.

How Is Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Performed?

The surgeon reaches the cervical spine through a small incision in the front of the neck and moves the airway, esophagus, and nearby tissues aside. The damaged disc is removed, and bone spurs or other structures compressing the spinal cord or nerve roots are cleared. The vertebral endplates are prepared, and an appropriately sized artificial disc is inserted into the empty disc space. Imaging is used to confirm implant position and spinal alignment before the incision is closed.

What Is Recovery Like After Cervical Disc Arthroplasty?

Many patients begin walking and moving the neck soon after surgery because the treated level is intended to remain mobile. Swallowing discomfort, neck soreness, or hoarseness can occur temporarily from the anterior surgical approach. Activity is increased gradually while heavy lifting and high-impact exercise are restricted during early healing. Follow-up imaging checks implant position, motion, alignment, and for complications such as heterotopic bone formation.

What Are the Risks and Complications?

Possible complications include infection, bleeding, swallowing difficulty, hoarseness, nerve injury, spinal-cord injury, and persistent neck or arm pain. The artificial disc can migrate, subside into the vertebral body, wear, loosen, or require revision surgery. Heterotopic ossification can form around the implant and reduce the motion the procedure was intended to preserve. Adjacent-level degeneration can still develop, and some patients eventually require fusion or another cervical spine operation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cervical Disc Arthroplasty

How is cervical disc arthroplasty different from ACDF?

Both remove a diseased cervical disc and decompress nerves, but arthroplasty inserts a motion-preserving artificial disc while ACDF fuses the adjacent vertebrae together.

Can two cervical levels be replaced?

Yes. Certain FDA-approved cervical artificial discs are indicated for two adjacent levels in appropriately selected patients.

Who should not have cervical disc arthroplasty?

Contraindications vary by device but commonly include severe osteoporosis, spinal instability, severe facet degeneration, major deformity, active infection, or advanced spondylosis.

Can an artificial cervical disc stop moving?

Yes. Heterotopic bone formation, severe degeneration, implant problems, or other changes can reduce motion at the treated level over time.

References

Simplify? Cervical Artificial Disc ? P200022/S003. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/recently-approved-devices/simplifyr-cervical-artificial-disc-p200022s003. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

Cervical Disk Replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://www.orthoinfo.org/treatment/cervical-disk-replacement/. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

Short-term and Long-term Complications of Cervical Disc Arthroplasty. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37752635/. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

Occurrence and clinical implications of heterotopic ossification after cervical disc arthroplasty with the Prestige LP Cervical Disc at 2 contiguous levels. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32168483/. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.

Cervical Disc Arthroplasty vs Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion at 10 Years: Results From a Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial at 3 Sites. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37028803/. Date Accessed September 11, 2026.