WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- The range of motion (ROM) resulting from cervical disc arthroplasty is associated with preoperative factors and factors related to the surgical procedure itself, according to a pair of studies published in the August issue of The Spine Journal.

Kyung-Chung Kang, M.D., of the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues reviewed 41 cases of cervical artificial disc replacement (ADR) and compared disc height, segmental and overall ROM, and neck and arm pain. The subjects were followed for more than two years. The researchers found that neck and arm pain decreased substantially, while mean preoperative segmental and overall ROM were usually either preserved or slightly increased after ADR. Disc height at follow-up was associated with segmental ROM, with disc height increments of less than 4 mm more likely to provide improvement.

Seok Woo Kim, M.D., of the Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital in Anyang-si, South Korea, and colleagues performed a retrospective radiological study of 39 patients with cervical disc disorders who received a cervical disc prosthesis (Bryan Cervical Disc Prosthesis; Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, Tenn.). The reviewers found a significant correlation between the degree of preoperative overall cervical spine ROM and postoperative improvement in overall cervical spine ROM. There was a strong correlation between postoperative functional spinal unit ROM and preoperative functional spinal unit ROM as well as the insertion angle of the prosthetic disc.

"Careful preoperative evaluation of the patients' radiographs and meticulous surgical technique during the surgical procedure could aid in achieving the goals and benefits of cervical disc arthroplasty," Kim and colleagues conclude.

The first study was supported by AO Spine Korea; one author disclosed receiving research support from the company. In the second study, one author disclosed financial ties to Medtronic Sofamor Danek.

Abstract - Kang
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Abstract - Kim
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