It is quite appropriate for patients to consider the safety of cervical disc replacement. After all, a surgeon creates an incision in your neck and operates in an area that contains multiple vital structures, such as major blood arteries, the esophagus, and the spinal cord. Spine surgery draws the best and brightest surgeons, and with good reason, there is a lot at stake.

Intraoperative Risk of Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement

Scientists discovered comforting results when scientists studied the surgical outcomes of 258 individuals who had cervical disc replacement surgery at 21 medical centers in North America, they discovered comforting results. There were no deaths during the surgery. Therefore, the intraoperative death rate was 0%. 

The most prevalent significant complication from surgery was a dural tear, which is a break in the spinal cord's covering. Dural tears occurred in 0.77% of instances or fewer than eight per 1,000. Other major consequences were associated with temporary or permanent nerve injury, and each happened less than twice out of 258 cases. Paralysis had a 0.02% incidence rate or one in every 10,000 occurrences.

Postoperative Risk of Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement

Several problems may occur during cervical artificial disc replacement surgery. Fortunately, significant consequences are uncommon, and those that do occur are usually quite transitory. 

Dysphagia

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is fairly prevalent in life following cervical disc replacement. It may occur in up to 7 out of 10 patients soon following surgery. In fact, it occurs so frequently that some surgeons regard it as an unavoidable aspect of the procedure rather than a genuine issue. Dysphagia is usually transitory and resolves in a matter of hours to 1-2 days. It can sometimes be resolved within 2-3 weeks. Dysphagia's occurrence and severity can be reduced with proper surgical techniques.

Infection and Blood Loss

It is unlikely that excessive blood loss or infection will develop after cervical artificial disc replacement surgery. In a randomized control trial of 541 individuals receiving cervical artificial disc replacement surgery or cervical spinal fusion, blood loss was almost the same in both groups (around 2 ounces), and no infections occurred. Temporary blood vessel injury may occur in roughly one out of every 200 patients.

Heterotopic Ossification

Heterotopic ossification is when bony material grows somewhere other than a known bone. In other words, bone may begin to form on and around the artificial disc following cervical artificial disc replacement surgery. It is exceedingly difficult to assess how frequently heterotopic ossification occurs. It may occur in many cases without causing any symptoms or handicaps. 

However, severe heterotopic ossification might be problematic since it can limit the neck's range of motion. However, great surgical techniques and specific intraoperative interventions can lower the rate of heterotopic ossification.

Disc Migration

Artificial discs operate best when they are properly installed and remain in place. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. An artificial disc can migrate or move from its intended position. This can lead to pain, a reduced range of spinal motion, and the need for a second surgery. The rate of disc migration appears to be around 2 to 3 times per 100 patients. While this seems like a lot, we know that a huge proportion of these cases may be avoided through two methods: patient selection and great surgical skill. Disc subsidence and migration are more common in patients with "weak bones," which are defined as osteopenia, osteoporosis, or a bone metabolism illness. As a result, individuals with these disorders are poor candidates for artificial disc replacement surgery.

Is Artificial Disc Replacement Right for Me?

Discuss Risk Factors With Your Surgeon

Your surgeon will be a valuable resource in determining whether artificial disc replacement is correct for you. The first choice is whether you require spinal surgery at all. Most persons who have chronic neck discomfort that does not go away after six months of medical treatment and physical therapy are candidates for corrective spine surgery.

Once you've decided that spine surgery is correct for you, you have two options: cervical artificial disc replacement surgery and cervical fusion surgery (ACDF).

Finally, the spine surgeon should be asked how many procedures they have completed. Also, ask the surgeon about their own complication rates and decide if that level of risk is acceptable to you. Surgeons with low complication rates are not only technically talented adept at picking the best patients for the proper surgery. If you've identified a board-certified spine surgeon who has conducted several spine procedures of both types with few complications, you're almost probably in good hands.