More about Secure C With over a year of follow up on the SECURE-C clinical trial, the national experience with the SECURE-C device has been very promising.  If this outcome trend continues after a two year follow up of the last patient, FDA approval is expected sometime in 2008 or 2009. Southwest's Institutional Review Board (IRB) can provide more information about the SECURE-C clinical trial. Contact IRB representatives: Sylvia MacWilliams, (360) 514-6100; Charlanne Sappington, (360) 449-1127 to learn more. • Learn more about spinal fusion

As published in Southwest Health:

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

Southwest is among 20 sites in the United States participating in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trial to test the safety and effectiveness of a new surgical tool to relieve pain in the cervical spine.

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 to improve stability and treat pain. It is effective, but it also limits the range of motion in the neck. In contrast, SECURE-C is an actual replacement disc that provides a new cusion between bones while preserving mobility.

The SECURE-C clinical trial is a random study that involves around 300 subjects who meet all criteria for the surgery. So far results nationwide are promising.