Early and intermediate follow-up results after treatment of degenerative disc disease with the Bryan cervical disc prosthesis: single- and multiple-level.
METHODS
Our clinical study design was prospective, concurrently enrolled and single-center trial of the new functional intervertebral cervical disc prosthesis (Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN) in the treatment of patients with single-level and multiple-level degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.


OBJECTIVE
The study was designed to investigate the surgical technology skills and clinical effects of Bryan cervical disc prosthesis in Chinese, and to observe the stability and range of movement in the early and immediate postoperative period.


BACKGROUND
Recently, motion preservation has come to the forefront of emerging technologies in spine surgery. This is the important background information of the emergence of cervical arthroplasty as an alternative to arthrodesis that offers the promise of restoring normal spinal movement and reduces a kinematic strain on adjacent segments.


METHODS
Nineteen patients (23 discs) had spinal arthroplasty with placement of the Bryan cervical artificial disc prosthesis in our hospital. Clinical and radiologic follow-up was performed. The radiographic parameters evaluated included the treated segments and the overall curvature of the cervical spine.


RESULTS
All the patients were observed up from 8 months to 42 months (average 24 months). According to Odom's scale, all of 19 patients (23 levels) had excellent to good outcome. The range of movement recovered to the preoperative value during the follow up. The treated segment ultimately showed preservation of movement when compared with preoperative levels. No prosthesis subsidence or excursion was identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Arthroplasty using the Bryan disc seemed to be safe and provided encouraging clinical and radiologic outcome in our study. Although early and intermediate results are promising, this is also a relatively new approach, long-term follow up studies are required to prove its efficacy and its ability to prevent adjacent segment disease.
Yang
Shuhua
S
Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. shuhua196@yahoo.com.cn
Wu
Xinghuo
X
Hu
Yong
Y
Li
Jin
J
Liu
Guohui
G
Xu
Weihua
W
Yang
Cao
C
Ye
Shunan
S
D000328:Adult; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D044466:Asian People; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002681:China; D017586:Diskectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000517:prevention & control; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome