Cervical disc arthroplasty: A selective alternative to fusion

Anterior cervical decompression and fusion is a dependable and successful treatment option for single-level cervical radiculopathy. However, due to the deleterious effects a fusion has on the kinematics of the adjacent level, artificial cervical disc arthroplasty has become a favorable alternative. Even though the short-term clinical data does not strongly support that a total disc arthroplasty decreases the risk of adjacent segment disease, it does have equal and in some aspects greater clinical outcomes than a fusion. Understanding the biomechanics, indications, outcomes, complications, and implant design will help one better decide which procedure is optimal for a given patient.