DAnn,
here is a link that lists and briefly describes many of the cervical ADR devices. This page is almost five years old and so doesn't contain some of the newer disc such as the NeoDisc and M6.
Here are some of the more popular discs that are still being used, and some pro's and con's for each (as I see them).
- ProDisc-C
- Long history and large implant base, so a lot of data is known
- Simple device with only three pieces
- FDA Approved
- Can get in the US
- Possibly covered by your insurance
- Large keels have caused longitudinal fractures of vertebral bodies in a few patients
- Has been associated with accelerated facet joint degeneration
- Does not preserve all motion
- Preserves motion in only unnatural ways
- Prestige
- Long history and large implant base, so a lot of data is known
- Simple device with only two pieces
- FDA Approved
- Can get in the US
- Possibly covered by your insurance
- Does not preserve all motion
- Preserves motion in only unnatural ways
- Mobi-C
- Long history with moderate implant base, so much less data available than ProDisc
- Simple device with only three pieces
- Not FDA approved. FDA trial is currently active and scheduled to complete in 2013.
- Not currently available in the US, so you must travel to get this disc
- Extremely unlikely that your insurance will cover this device
- Does not preserve all motion
- Some motion is preserved in natural ways, and some in unnatural ways
- NeoDisc
- New device with a small implant base, so there is very little data available, even in non-US markets
- Simple device with only one piece
- Not FDA approved. FDA trial was completed in October 2010 and the FDA's mountain of paperwork is probably being done right now. This device could potentially come on the market within the next several months?
- Not currently available in the US, so you must travel to get this disc
- Extremely unlikely that your insurance will cover this device
- Preserves all motion, and in more natural ways that the ProDisc or Prestige
- M6
- New device with a moderate, implant base, so much less data is known than for ProDisc
- Complex device with five pieces, three of them moving
- Not FDA approved. There are internet rumors that this device is enrolling for an FDA trial, but that has not been announced on Spinal Kinetic's site.
- Will not be available in the US for multiple years, so you must travel to get this disc
- Extremely unlikely that your insurance will cover this device
- Preserves all motion, and in more natural ways than the ProDisc, Prestige or Mobi.
Something about the M6 that I think is too substantial to omit; I have spoken with two spine sufferers that Dr Zigler at TBI has referred to Dr Boeree in England for M6 implantation. Coming from Dr Zigler, that speaks volumes for both the M6 and Dr Boeree.
Good luck, Jeff