A 42-year-old member asked:
What is a cervical disc replacement and fusion with titanium plates and screws?
4 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in
Dr. Michael Bolestaanswered
Orthopedic Surgery 42 years experience
Fusion: Replacement these days often refers to an artificial disk. As you are using the term, the disk is removed and replaced with a spacer (bone, metal, plastic, bone substitute). The plate and screws provide additional stability. The bones connected by the spacer and plate grow together (ideally) to form a single bone.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Kevin Vaughtanswered
30 years experience
Common procedure: An anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with instrumentation is a common procedure to address cervical disc herniations, degenerative spondylosis and occasional to treat instability from trauma. A fusion will eliminate the motion at the involved joint segments. Most patients do well. For very good information and videos, check out spine-health.Com.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Robert Massonanswered
Neurosurgery 35 years experience
Traditional standard: A procedure designed to remove a damaged disc, from the front of the neck, and then reconstruct it in a way to preserve architecture of the spine, while eliminating motion at that joint. It is the traditional gold standard for herniated disc treatment, but modern expert use of disc replacement is proving a great alternative, allowing for continued motion and faster recovery.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Robert Pashmananswered
Orthopedic Spine Surgery 40 years experience
Terms confusion: Disc replacement usually refers to an artificial disc implant. The disc is removed during fusion operation and replaced with bone or an implant and this may referred to as a disc replacement. This is a misnomer. For more information , visit www.eSpine.com
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
572 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 30-year-old member asked:
Has anybody had a cervical disc replacement and fusion with plates and screws? Would he be permanently stiff?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Will Mooreheadanswered
Orthopedic Spine Surgery 54 years experience
YES: One of the advantages of cervical disc replacement surgery is that it does not preclude an arthrodesis if the replacement fails or does not provide the desired relief of symptoms. When a fusion is is required it will leave you with an absence of motion at the segment(s) fused. If this is 1 or 2 motion segments the lost of motion is not noticable to the person.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Aug 27, 2017
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