Cervical Artificial Disc Replacement Versus Fusion for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease: A Health Technology Assessment

Cervical degenerative disc disease occurs in the cervical spine (the part of the spine in the neck) when the discs between the vertebrae (the bones of the spine) start to deteriorate. It causes painful and disabling symptoms that impact people’s quality of life and ability to function.

When treatments such as medication and physical therapy are insufficient, surgery is an option. The most common surgery is anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (often simply called “fusion”). However, this surgery sometimes has a negative effect on the discs next to the one being treated. Another surgical option is cervical artificial disc replacement (C-ADR).

This health technology assessment looked at the effectiveness, safety, durability, and cost-effectiveness of C-ADR compared with fusion for treating cervical degenerative disc disease. We also looked at the budget impact of publicly funding C-ADR and the preferences, values, and experiences of people with cervical degenerative disc disease.