Cervical disc to treat degenerative disease gets FDA green light

Aug 28 2007

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has given approval for a cervical disc implant to treat patients with degenerative disc disease.

The cervical disc implant 'Prestige' is manufactured by Medtronic and is designed to be used in the neck to treat degenerative disc disease.

The disc offers an alternative treatment to the traditional spinal fusion procedure and the possibility of movement as well as providing another option for pain relief.

Spinal fusion involves the removal of the damaged disc which is then replaced with a bone graft and metal plate to fuse the vertebrae together.

Experts believe the cervical disc implant will allow patients to maintain normal neck motion and help avoid further surgery because of the degeneration of adjacent segments.

The green light entails Medtronic agreeing to conduct a seven-year post-approval study to evaluate the long-term safety and effectiveness of the cervical disc implant.