Cervical Disc Replacement: What You Need to Know
Neck pain and stiffness can make even simple tasks difficult. For many patients, cervical disc replacement offers a solution that preserves motion and relieves pain caused by degenerative disc disease or other spine conditions.
Who is a Candidate for Cervical Disc Replacement?
Patients who have not found relief through conservative treatments—like physical therapy or medications—may benefit from cervical disc replacement. Compared to spinal fusion, this procedure:
Maintains a greater range of motion
Reduces the risk of additional procedures
Decreases post-surgical pain
Dr. Edward Jung evaluates each patient individually, using diagnostic imaging like MRI or X-rays to determine whether cervical disc replacement is the best option.
What Happens During Surgery?
Depending on your case, you may undergo:
- Total Disc Replacement: The entire damaged disc is removed and replaced with a metal or biopolymer implant
- Disc Nucleus Replacement: Only the center of the disc is replaced, preserving more of your natural disc structure
The surgery typically takes 2–3 hours, with an incision in the neck allowing access to the affected disc.
“MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)”
Dr. Edward Jung is a highly skilled spine surgeon serving patients in the Bellevue area. As the leading spine surgeon in Seattle, he offers the latest cutting-edge technologies for spinal treatments, including the “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” for cervical disc replacement procedures.
If you have been diagnosed with a torn, thinning, bulging, or herniated disc, it’s important to seek prompt treatment from a qualified spine surgeon. Dr. Jung has extensive experience in treating these conditions, and the “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” is one of the most advanced options available.
Dr. Jung is one of the top 100 users of “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)”
The “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” is designed to restore normal spinal function by replacing damaged cervical discs with an artificial disc. This allows for a quicker recovery time, less pain, and a reduced risk of complications compared to traditional spinal surgeries.
What Conditions Can “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” Treat?
The cervical spine has discs between each bone that provide cushioning for movements and body loads. The discs and bones in a healthy neck allow bending from side-to-side and front-to-back, and turning left-to-right. Disc problems can start from over-use, an accident, or just the wear and tear of daily life. Degenerative changes in the discs may result in damage that can cause pain. When a disc degenerates it can have tears or cracks that lose water, which cause it to become thinner and provide less padding to absorb movement. Degenerated discs can also bulge (herniate) and pinch the spinal cord or nerves, which causes loss of feeling, weakness, pain, or tingling down the arms and hands.
Treatment Options
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion ( ACDF)
Before artificial discs were available, patients would traditionally receive an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) procedure to alleviate the pain from a herniated disc. In a fusion surgery, the disc is removed and either a bone spacer or a plastic implant will be placed in the disc space to restore disc height and remove pressure on the pinched nerves or spinal cord. A metal plate and screws can be placed on the front of the neck to hold the implant in place. The result of this procedure will be a segment that no longer moves, or is “fused”. The potential downside of a fusion procedure, in addition to the loss of motion, is that it can create additional stress on the spinal levels above and below it. This can cause degeneration at those levels and potentially result in another future surgery.
“MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)”
An artificial disc like “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” is an option instead of a fusion that will also be placed inside the disc space to restore height and remove pressure on the pinched nerves. However, the Mobi-C device is designed to allow the neck to maintain normal motion and potentially prevent the adjacent levels from degenerating, possibly preventing future surgeries.
What is Mobi-C?
The Mobi-C Cervical Disc is one of the most widely used cervical discs in the world. First implanted in France in November 2004, Mobi-C has now been implanted in more than 75,000 spinal levels in 25 countries. Mobi-C is made with two Cobalt Chromium alloy endplates that are plasma sprayed with titanium and coated with hydroxyapatite, and has an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene plastic insert (UHMWPE). These are proven materials that have been used in orthopedic applications for over 60 years.
- Mobi-C is designed to replicate the natural motion of the cervical spine.
- Mobi-C’s mobile core slides and rotates inside the disc, self-adjusting to the patient’s cervical spine’s movements. This means that Mobi-C can react to the normal motion in the cervical spine.
- In addition, the mobile core is designed to allow for some movement, reducing the forces between the implant and vertebral bodies. The Mobi-C does not need invasive fixation features found in some cervical disc replacement devices.
What are the Benefits of “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)”?
“MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” is differentiated from other cervical discs because of its bone sparing technique, which eliminates the need for bone chiseling and drilling, lending to two-level implantations due to its minimal bone removal.
The greatest clinical benefit of cervical disc replacement with “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” compared to cervical fusion was seen in two-level indications, particularly in lower reoperation rates, lower rates of major complications, lower rates of adjacent level degeneration, and higher NDI success rates. In the “MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” clinical study, patients returned to work on average approximately one week faster (one-level patients) and three weeks faster (two-level patients) compared to fusion patients.
“MOBI-C (Cervical Disc Replacement)” Patient Testimonial
Recovery After Cervical Disc Replacement
Patients usually stay in the hospital for 1–2 days. Early, gentle movements and adherence to post-surgical guidelines help speed recovery. Avoiding hyperextension or high-impact activity is crucial to protect the new disc.
Schedule a Consultation in Seattle, WA
If neck pain or degenerative disc disease is affecting your quality of life, Dr. Jung can help. Our spine clinic near Kirkland, Bellevue, and the Eastside provides personalized treatment plans, including cervical disc replacement. Call (206) 860-5578 today to schedule your consultation, or contact our office through our secure online form.