Anterior cervical disc replacement (arthroplasty) has gained momentum over the past 2 decades. The ball-and-socket prosthesis design of arthroplasty has been shown to simulate normal motion in all 3 rotation planes at the level of surgery and replicates physiologic motion. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion has been shown to be a safe and effective surgery over decades; cervical disc replacement counters some secondary effects owing to its preservation of segmental mobility, the potential to reduce adjacent segment degeneration, and the lack of plating or harvesting bone graft. The literature is growing in support of the success and longevity of arthroplasty.
