Neck pain is one of our most commonly treated issues, and in the past many patients with severe neck pain as a result of a disc problem were told to consider a discectomy and fusion. While this procedure helped with the pain, it worked by fusing the discs together and limiting range of motion in the area. It was far from the perfect solution, which led to the advent of the Mobi-C artificial disc.
The Mobi-C artificial disc is made of a plastic polyethylene insert surrounded by two metal plates. It’s designed for easy insertion, doesn’t fuse problemed discs together and allows for a wider range of motion than traditional operations. The device was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2013 after receiving high marks in clinical trials, but the jury is still out on whether it’s truly an effective long-term solution simply because it’s only been available for widespread use for a short period. However, a recent review of the first clinical studies to test the artificial discs’ long term effectiveness found exactly what spine surgeons and their patients had hoped for.
Mobi-C’s Long Term Effectiveness
To get a better understanding of the Mobi-C’s effectiveness over an extended period of time, researchers tracked the patients who were involved in the clinical trials that led to the device’s initial approval, as they’ve had the device inserted longer than anyone who received it after FDA approval. Of the 187 patients tracked, researchers found that patients experienced significant improvements from baseline, but some patients even showed improvement between the 7-year and 10-year evaluations. Researchers found:
- Pain scores, neck disability index ratings and neurologic statuses showed sustained improvements.
- Sagittal alignment improved and remained improved after surgery.
- Adjacent segment degeneration was not measurably worse at 10 years than when compared at five and seven years.
- Range of motion remained comparable to baseline, unlike in fusion operations.
However, most notable was the fact that when polled, 98.4 percent of patients said they were still satisfied with the results of their surgery 10 years after the initial operation. It’s rare, but very encouraging, to see such long-term satisfaction with any care plan, let alone a disc replacement surgery.
Mobi-C artificial disc replacement surgery is one of Dr. Sinicropi’s many specialities, and he was one of the first surgeons in the greater Twin Cities area to add the procedure to his practice. His patients have also seen the success of the Mobi-C implant, so if you are dealing with cervical disc problems and are wondering if the Mobi-C implant may be right for you, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.
