Has anybody had a cervical disc replacement and fusion with plates and screws? would he be permanently stiff?

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.

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.