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Editor: Marc Jay Bern
Profession: Defective Medical Device Lawyer

Category: Medtronic News

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) affects thousands of Americans. The pain is so severe in many, that it affects every day functions such as spending time with family and activities such as sports.

A Midland doctor, for the first time, performed a procedure to treat this type of chronic pain by using the PRESTIGE Disc, made by Medtronic; the first artificial disc approved by the FDA for use in the United States.

An estimated 200,000 patients undergo surgical treatment for DDD. These patients often suffer from arm pain, numbness, tingling and weakness from a pinched nerve located in the neck that is related to a herniated disc. Many also have accompanying neck pain.

Spinal fusion is the current standard of care for patients suffering from DDD. Although this procedure often provides good results, a potential disadvantage is loss of motion and flexibility in the treated vertebral segment. The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is an artificial disc that offers an alternative to this traditional procedure. The patented ball-and-trough design allows for a variable center of rotation, meaning the disc is designed to better replicate the motion of a naturally functioning cervical spine.

The PRESTIGE Cervical Disc was proven safe and effective in the largest clinical trial of its kind, as a new treatment option that has the potential to help relieve pain while preserving the range of motion in the patient's neck.