Artificial Disc Replacement

Cervical Disc Replacement

What Is Cervical Disc Replacement?

Cervical disc replacement is an advanced spine surgery designed to treat neck and upper back pain caused by a worn or damaged disc. The procedure involves removing the diseased disc and implanting an artificial disc that restores normal movement and stability. These devices are made from durable materials such as cobalt-chrome, titanium, and specialized polymers designed to mimic the function of a natural disc.

By taking pressure off pinched nerves or the spinal cord, patients often experience immediate relief from pain, tingling, and numbness. Once recovery is complete, the artificial disc allows for natural motion, rotation, bending, and extension, without the stiffness that often follows a spinal fusion.

Why Patients Choose Dr. Jason Cuéllar for Cervical Disc Replacement

Dr. Jason Cuéllar is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in motion-preserving spine surgery, including artificial disc replacement. He has been at the forefront of adopting advanced techniques and technologies for cervical disc replacement, performing hundreds of successful procedures in South Florida.

Patients from across the United States and internationally travel to Dr. Cuéllar for cervical disc replacement because of his reputation for precision, safety, and outcomes.

Types of Cervical Discs

There have been a number of discs released, each with varying degrees of success rates when stress-tested in clinical trials. Current FDA-approved discs include the Prestige-LP, Prestige-ST, prodisc® C, SECURE®-C and PCM artificial discs for the cervical spine. Below is a topline overview of the FDA-approved alternatives currently available.

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Prestige®-LP Cervical Disc

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SECURE®-C Cervical Disc

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Simplify Disc

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Mobi-C® Cervical Disc

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prodisc® C Family

CERVICAL DISCS

FDA-Approved Cervical Disc Options

Several FDA-approved implants are available today, each designed to preserve motion and reduce stress on surrounding discs. Dr. Cuéllar has direct experience with a wide range of artificial discs and selects the best option for each patient based on anatomy, lifestyle, and long-term goals.

Prestige®-LP Cervical Disc

A low-profile, two-piece implant designed to restore natural neck movement. It’s secured with screws for stability and quicker recovery.

SECURE®-C Cervical Disc

Engineered to maintain proper neck curvature while supporting nodding, tilting, and controlled rotation.

Simplify® Cervical Disc

FDA-approved in 2020, it’s one of the most versatile implants available, with multiple sizes and heights for customized fit.

Mobi-C® Cervical Disc

The first artificial disc approved for one- and two-level use, designed with a mobile core that mimics natural cervical motion.

prodisc® C Family

Includes the original prodisc® C and its successors (Vivo, SK, Nova). These discs use proven ball-and-socket mechanics to preserve flexibility and stability.

prodisc® C Vivo

Composed of four components to maximize restoration of motion, the prodisc® C Vivo has been designed to replace a diseased and/or degenerated intervertebral disc in patients with symptomatic cervical disc disease (SCDD). Composed of four components utilizing the tried and tested ball and socket design, the prodisc® C Vivo resists shear forces, allows for flexion, extension, rotation and lateral bending, with secure teeth fixation providing high level stability.

prodisc® C SK

Similar to the prodisc® C Vivo, the prodisc® C SK is also low profile, allowing for multilevel application (“stacking” of the discs at adjacent spinal levels), which is necessary for many patients who have more than one damaged disc in their neck that requires replacement. Rather than secure teeth fixation to hold the device in place, the prodisc® C SK incorporates low profile “keels” for fixation.

prodisc® C Nova

The prodisc C Nova implant has been designed to maintain the physiologic range of motion in the spine. The implant was developed using the clinically proven ball and socket concept used in joint replacement implants for over 40 years. The prodisc C Nova implant is composed of four components—two titanium alloy (TAN) endplates, a cobalt chrome alloy (CoCrMo) calotte insert, and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) inlay—and is inserted into the vertebral bodies en-bloc.

Discontinued & Next-Generation Options

Some earlier-generation implants such as PCM®, Prestige-ST, and BRYAN® have been discontinued. Others, like the Synergy Disc™ and M6-C™, are under FDA investigation with promising clinical trial results. International devices like CP-ESP® and Baguera®C are also in use abroad but not yet approved in the U.S.

PCM® Cervical Disc

The PCM® Artificial Disc is generally advised for skeletally mature patients for a reconstruction of a degenerative cervical disc at one level from C3-C4 and C6-C7. It’s a two-piece articulating device composed of two alloy metal end plates, with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene spacer fixed to the caudal end plate. A very mobile disc, while it was FDA-approved next to a fusion, it is now discontinued.

Prestige-ST Cervical Disc

The Prestige-ST was the first Medtronic disc, secured with screws to allow full combat within 14 days. The surface of the disc is grainy, allowing existing bone to regenerate and integrate into it. It’s held in place by four bone screws and two lock screws, utilizing a patented ball-and-trough design which allows for motion to be preserved. Made from cobalt chrome and nickel, the Prestige-ST was unsuitable for patients with allergies to metal, and has since been replaced with the Prestige®-LP Cervical Disc.

BRYAN® Cervical Disc

First reported to be used in 2002, the now obsolete BRYAN® consisted of two titanium alloy “shells” surrounding a saline-filled (prior to implantation) polycarbonate urethane nucleus that added compression to the disc. The bone-contacting edges of each shell were coated with sintered titanium to provide for bony ingrowth. Originally considered the best device to preserve motion, achieving similar results to that of a spinal fusion. While placement did prove to yield favorable clinical outcomes, the BRYAN® cervical disc also reported various issues related to the operative approach, decompression process, loosening of the device and subsidence of the implant, as well as postoperative kyphosis.

M6-C

The M6-C is an artificial disc replacement device that mimics the natural movement of an anatomical disc, while also allowing for compressibility via a unique viscoelastic core. Since FDA-approval in February 2019, the M6-C has established a market-leading position outside the United States, with over 54,000 devices implanted globally.

FDA Trials - Under Investigation

The following discs are currently under investigation. Patients can review eligibility criteria to see if they may be possible candidates for clinical trials. If you are interested in signing up for a trial please contact our office.

Synergy Disc™

The Synergy Disc™ is considered revolutionary in its design and functionality to treat cervical degenerative disc disease in patients who are unresponsive to conservative management. Available in three footprint sizes, two heights and two corrective lordotic angles, it’s the first disc that addresses patients with normal cervical lordosis and preoperative deformity. It offers a semi-constrained design with controlled motion stops, optimized for multi-level stability, to restore balance and mimic natural kinesthetic movement for enhanced motion preservation.

M6-C™

The Level 2 M6-C™ disc is considered ‘next generation’ in its ability to mimic the natural structure and movement of the spine, including forward, backwards, up, down, side to side and left to right rotations. Its innovative design composes two titanium endplates that anchor the disc to neighboring bone, as well as a shock-absorbing nucleus and fiber annulus that combine to replicate the cushioning effect and controlled range of movement of the natural disc, potentially minimizing stress to adjacent discs.

Off-Market European Devices

CP-ESP®

The CP-ESP® was developed for the cervical spine after a decade of success with its lumbar spine counterpart, the LP-ESP® lumbar disc. It employs innovative technology to mimic the natural movement of the cervical spine to six degrees, ensuring enhanced mobility and shock absorption to take pressure off the adjacent discs. It’s composed of two hydroxyapatite-coated titanium endplates with elastic nucleus (inner core) and elastic annulus (outer core).

Baguera®C

With an anatomical design composed of Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC) coated titanium end plates and a guided mobile PE nucleus, the Baguera®C delivers reduced MRI artifact and better postoperative control. It allows six degrees of freedom and improved stress distribution, due to significantly lower contact pressure distribution on polyethylene central core.

Dr. Cuéllar’s Approach

Unlike many surgeons who rely heavily on spinal fusion, Dr. Cuéllar focuses on motion-preserving surgery whenever possible. His philosophy is simple: maintaining the natural movement of the spine reduces the chance of adjacent disc degeneration and helps patients return to active, pain-free lives sooner.

Every surgery is planned with advanced imaging, meticulous precision, and the latest techniques. Dr. Cuéllar’s outcomes reflect both his technical skill and his commitment to helping patients achieve lasting relief.