Disorders of the cervical spine are a real pain in the neck, literally. It's like losing the shocks on your car when you lose the cushion of a cervical disc between the bones in your neck. This degenerative process can happen as a natural process of aging or injury, and the pain is often debilitating.

Southwest Washington Medical Center is among 20 sites in the United States participating in a study to test the safety and effectiveness of a new surgical tool to relieve pain in the cervical spine.

Will this option be better than fusion?
The SECURE-C Cervical Artificial Disc was created as an alternative to spinal fusion, the current treatment of choice among today's neurosurgeons. Spinal fusion permanently connects two or more bones. It is effective, but is can also limit neck mobility and increase the degenerative rate of discs adjacent to the fusion. In fact, one in four patients may require another surgery for the disc adjacent to the fusion within 10 years. In contrast, the SECURE-C is a device that appears to preserve mobility and function, in essence, like a normal disc. Using the SECURE-C would allow the preservation of motion and, in theory, would minimize the risk of adjacent segment degeneration.

How can I find out if I'm a candidate for this new study?
The SECURE-C clinical trial is a multi-center randomized study which involves around 300 subjects meeting all criteria for the surgery. With over a year of follow up so far, the national experience with the SECURE-C device has been very promising. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) can provide more information about the SECURE-C clinical trial. Contact the IRB office at (360) 514-6100 or the research coordinator at (360) 449-1127 to learn more.

Dr. Le is a neurosurgeon with Rebound Neurosurgical Specialists. His office is located in the Physicians Pavilion. He can be reached at 360.254.6161.

You can link to all the medical specialists who partner with Southwest on our Find a Doctor area.

Published September 2007.

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