A Better Option for Neck and Back Pain: How New Spinal Implants Are Changing Treatment

A revolutionary spinal implant is transforming treatment for degenerative disc disease, allowing patients to maintain natural spine movement while eliminating chronic neck and arm pain. The Simplify Cervical Disc represents a significant advancement over traditional spinal fusion surgery, which restricts movement and can lead to complications in adjacent vertebrae.

What Makes These New Spinal Implants Different?

Hannah Polach, a 42-year-old emergency room nurse, experienced four years of debilitating symptoms before finding relief through this innovative treatment. Her arms went numb every time she sat down, and she felt a sharp pinch in her neck when looking up. Despite trying physical therapy, epidural injections, and pain medications, her condition worsened until surgery became necessary.

The Simplify Cervical Disc consists of a ceramic core sandwiched between two plates of medical-grade plastic coated with titanium. Unlike spinal fusion, which permanently restricts movement, these synthetic discs allow for flexible spinal motion while relieving nerve compression. The device has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for replacement of up to two adjacent discs.

Why Are Traditional Fusion Surgeries Problematic?

Spinal fusion surgery, once the only option for severe degenerative disc disease, involves removing damaged discs and permanently fusing vertebrae together. While this eliminates movement in the affected area, it creates significant long-term risks. Data shows that nearly 23% of patients develop additional problems above and below the surgery site within a decade of fusion surgery.

Dr. Safdar Khan, professor in the UC Davis Health Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and vice chair for surgical innovation, explains the problem using a simple analogy. He compares vertebral discs to jelly donuts - soft discs filled with squishy collagen gel that act as shock-absorbing cushions allowing spinal flexion. When these discs degenerate, their contents bulge out and compress nearby nerves.

The key advantages of disc replacement over fusion include:

• Preserved Mobility: Patients maintain natural spine movement and can continue normal activities without restriction
• Reduced Adjacent Problems: Lower risk of developing issues in vertebrae above and below the treatment site compared to fusion surgery
• Enhanced Quality of Life: The technology allows patients to add more activities rather than limiting them
• Immediate Relief: Many patients experience elimination of numbness and nerve pain within the first night after surgery

How Does the Surgical Procedure Work?

The disc replacement procedure is remarkably straightforward and minimally invasive. Dr. Khan makes a small incision in the front of the patient's neck and uses a microscope with precision instruments to remove the damaged discs. Under X-ray guidance, he sizes the prosthetic discs to ensure proper fit and nerve pressure relief. The surgeon creates small slots in the vertebrae and slides the new discs into position, confirming placement through imaging.

The entire procedure typically lasts around one hour and fifteen minutes. Patients stay at the outpatient surgery center until stable enough to drive home, wearing a soft collar to protect the neck during initial healing. Those with severely limited mobility before surgery may require physical therapy within a few weeks.

"I could definitely tell the first night that the numbness and tingling in my arms was gone," Polach said. "It was an immediate fix, and I'm no longer taking any nerve pain medications or cortisone injections."

Degenerative disc disease affects approximately 400 million people worldwide annually, resulting from advanced age, physical trauma, or genetic factors. The condition involves damage to the soft, flexible discs between vertebrae that normally allow for spinal mobility.

"This FDA-approved device is on the leading-edge of options available for patients with neck and arm pain that is resistant to physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, or pain-relieving injections," Khan explained. The technology represents a significant step forward in preserving patients' quality of life while effectively treating chronic spinal conditions.