Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Cervical
oracic
Lumbar
Sacrum and Coccyx
FIgure 17.1
Human spine.
The vertebrae are separated by intervertebral discs, which maintain an appropriate space to support
motion and allow nerves to pass.
Intervertebral disc degeneration due to natural aging can often cause severe lower back pain
(Luoma et al. 2000). Anterior cervical discectomy fusion (ACDF) is an effective surgical treatment
for cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) and has been reported with a good rate of success and
early recovery (Clements and O'Leary 1990; Cauthen et al. 1998; Yue, Brodner, and Highland 2005).
However, degeneration of adjacent levels associated with immobility of the fused levels after ACDF
continues to raise concerns (Hilibrand and Robbins 2004; Ishihara et al. 2004; Chang et al. 2007).
As an alternative to ACDF, cervical total disc replacement (CTDR) is designed to decrease the rate
of adjacent-level disease by restoring disc height, preserving operative level motion, and reasonably
alleviating the excessive stresses on adjacent levels. Considering the advantages, some surgeons
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