Lifespan Orthopedics Institute
The Most Comprehensive Orthopedic Care in the Region

As Orthopedic Patients Get Younger, Procedures Get More Advanced

A new surgical procedure is giving young patients a chance at a pain-free life for the long term.

Orthopedic issues are often thought to occur only as we age. However, in recent years, the patient profile for spinal issues has been getting younger. Young and middle-aged people who are healthy and active sometimes experience the same neck and back conditions as older patients. And while it is more often caused by overuse, strain or injury, rather than by degeneration or arthritis, they are still seeking orthopedic treatments for relief.

For these young and middle-aged people who are suffering from disc herniation in the neck, a new procedure is restoring normal function, while ensuring better long-term outcomes with lower risks of revision surgery. Cervical disc replacement is an innovative technique to treat persistent symptoms due to disc herniation.

Cervical disc replacement is a newer technology designed to address two particular problems in the neck. One is cervical disc herniation with resultant radiculopathy, which is arm pain, sensory changes or weakness related to nerve compression.

The other is disc herniation produced by spinal cord dysfunction, or myelopathy.

The cervical section of the spine is made up of seven vertebrae with discs between the vertebrae to cushion the bones and act as shock absorbers to allow full range of movement of your neck. The discs are made up of a tough outer layer of cartilage that holds a gel-like center. If a disc degenerates over time or through overuse, or if there is an injury to the cervical area, the outer layer can tear, allowing the soft center to rupture. The gel material can then press on the adjacent spinal cord or spinal nerves, causing inflammation and swelling of the nerve structures and leading to pain, numbness, and tingling or weakness in the shoulders, neck or arms. While in most cases a herniated disc can be managed through pain medication and physical therapy, in more serious cases, surgery may be required.

Lumbar fusion

The alternative, a procedure called spinal fusion, has been performed for decades. This treatment involves surgically removing the damaged cervical disc to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. After removing the disc, a piece of bone graft or a metallic device is implanted as a spacer between the two vertebrae, and a metal plate is applied over the bones to hold them together and stabilize the spinal segment. This surgery, while a good option for many patients, immobilizes part of the spine, changing the way it can move, and puts additional strain on the vertebrae above and below

Lumber fusion
Lumber fusion

the fused portion. In some cases, the spine does not heal after the procedure and may require additional revision surgeries.  

Cervical disc replacement is a technique very similar to knee replacement or hip replacement procedures. A device made up of two metallic pieces separated by a piece of biomedical grade plastic is implanted in place of the damaged disc. Like an artificial knee or hip joint, the mobile implant takes the place of the disc, allowing retained fluid movement and range of motion of the spine in all directions. Moreover, this procedure does not require a plate to be fused to the surrounding vertebrae.

The goal of fusing the vertebrae is not to eliminate the complication of nonhealing of the fusion. Conversely, studies show there are fewer cases for revision surgery needed following disc replacement. 

One of the major advantages of retaining motion at the segment is that it reduces mechanical stress at the level above and below the disc by maintaining normal motion of the entire spine, mitigating the risk of accelerated degeneration of the surrounding vertebrae. It is precisely this advantage that makes it an optimal treatment for younger patients.

Many patients who undergo fusion at a very young age, and who go on to live for multiple decades, can develop a problem with the surrounding vertebrae, making the need for additional surgery high. 

Taking into account how many more active years younger patients have ahead of them, a fusion procedure may not always be the optimal option. The innovative cervical disc replacement procedure was developed to maintain as much of the normal mechanics of the spine as possible, so patients can maintain their highest level of function for the longest period of time going forward.

In a young person, the pain they seek treatment for is almost always due to soft disc herniation, not bone spurs or arthritic change, which means everything else in the spine is normal and healthy. The best candidate for a cervical disc replacement is a young or middle-age person with a high level of function, without very advanced arthritic change in the spine.

While cervical disc replacement has been around for nearly 15 years, it is still quite a new, innovative procedure when compared with other treatments. But as younger and younger patients are seeking orthopedic treatments for their pain, new technologies will continue to be developed to meet the needs of this unique group. 

Cervical disc replacement has already come a long way since its start – newer disk replacement devices are becoming available and the instrumentation to insert the devices has improved the ease and safety of the operation. Because these young patients have years ahead of them to live active, full lives, the procedures will continue to advance to ensure those years remain active and pain-free.

Learn more about spine treatment at the Lifespan Orthopedics Institute