prodisc L Total Disc Replacement
The vertebral bodies surround the spinal cord, offering protection. When aligned, they create the spinal column, which provides stability for the head and upper body. The spinal cord and nerve roots are housed within the spinal canal.
Intervertebral discs sit between the vertebral bodies, serving as “shock absorbers” by cushioning impact forces. Together with the vertebral joints, these discs enable neck movements such as turning, stretching, and bending.
The Most Studied TDR System in the World
prodisc L has a long clinical history, spanning over 25 years, and has been widely used worldwide. It is part of the prodisc line of total disc replacements (TDRs), which are the most extensively studied TDRs, with over 400 peer-reviewed publications covering more than 13,000 patients. The first prodisc L implantation occurred in 1990, and the second-generation design received U.S. PMA approval in 2006.
This page highlights key clinical studies, biomechanical evaluations, and cost-effectiveness analyses conducted on prodisc L. No other disc replacement system has been studied as thoroughly; nearly 40% of all TDR research papers focus on prodisc. With over 125,000 devices implanted and a reoperation rate of less than 1%, the prodisc design has been highly validated in clinical practice, making it one of the most reliable disc replacement systems available.
Goals of prodisc L
Maintaining Spinal Balance & Motion
Degenerative disc disease can lead to segmental instability. Additionally, the surgical procedure for a discectomy is inherently destabilizing, as it involves removing the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament (ALL), the disc, and often the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (PLL). Without these stabilizing structures, it is essential for a disc replacement to incorporate constraints to protect the facet joints.
The prodisc’s mechanism of action provides such constraint by allowing movement with a fixed center of motion, permitting anterior-posterior translation only during flexion and extension.
Decelerate Adjacent Level Reoperations
The “gold standard” treatment for degenerative disc disease has traditionally been spinal fusion. However, fusing a segment of the spine has been shown to accelerate adjacent level degeneration. By preserving motion, prodisc is designed to slow down the progression of adjacent level degeneration. A study from the U.S. IDE PMA clinical trial demonstrated that, at five years of follow-up, patients who underwent fusion were 3.5 times more likely to develop adjacent level disease compared to those treated with prodisc L.
Accelerate the Resumption of Activities of Daily Living
The discectomy procedure can be invasive and often necessitates a recovery period. To address this, careful attention has been given to the design of the technique and instrumentation to minimize recuperation time. In a study comparing prodisc L with circumferential fusion, surgeons found that patients who underwent fusion lost nearly twice as much blood during the procedure (794 mL compared to 410 mL), spent nearly twice as long in the operating room (344 minutes versus 185 minutes), and had longer hospital stays (mean stay of 4.78 days versus 4.32 days).
Schedule a Consultation
If you think prodisc L may be right for you, contact DFW Center for Spinal Disorders to schedule a consultation in Fort Worth. Give us a call at (817) 916-4685 to get started, or request an appointment through our secure online form.