Biomechanical Changes Following Cervical Disc Arthroplasty

For more than five decades, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion has been the mainstay of surgical management of symptomatic cervical disc disease. Nonetheless, worries regarding adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) have prompted research into alternative techniques. Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA), by preserving motion and restoring near-normal spinal biomechanics, seemed to be a promising solution. This review explores normal intervertebral disc (IVD) biomechanics and biomechanical changes following CDA. Evidence from current literature indicates that CDA generally maintains physiological spinal motion, though inevitably, there are changes. The range of motion (ROM) at treated levels approximates normal values. Although complications such as wear and heterotrophic ossification are relatively common, device stability remains satisfactory, and biomechanical comparisons between semi-constrained and unconstrained designs have shown negligible differences. CDA offers a compelling alternative to ACDF in appropriately selected patients. Nevertheless, long-term studies are essential to assess its outcomes comprehensively.