Cervical Disc Arthroplasty Review Highlights Comparable Outcomes to Fusion and Evidence Gaps

A review in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery examines cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) as an alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical degenerative disc disease. The supplied summary reports comparable clinical outcomes for 1-level and 2-level disease, with durable long-term motion preservation after CDA. Although CDA is associated with lower rates of adjacent-segment pathology, the absolute risk reduction at longer follow-up is described as modest, and methodological differences across trials limit definitive conclusions. More recent studies of expanded indications—including procedures involving three or more levels, hybrid constructs, and situations previously considered contraindicated in FDA Investigational Device Exemption trials—have shown promising short-term to intermediate-term results. The review emphasizes standardized failure reporting and evidence-based revision algorithms as CDA use increases. The supplied text provides no sample sizes, numerical effect estimates, or specific follow-up durations.