What is the main purpose of cervical disc arthroplasty?

• A. To decompress neural elements
• B. To decompress neural elements and fuse the segment
• C. To widen canal without preserving motion
• D. To decompress neural elements while preserving motion at the operated level

Answer: (D)

The main idea behind cervical disc arthroplasty is to relieve pressure on neural elements while keeping the operated segment moving. It does this by removing the damaged disc and replacing it with an artificial one that preserves the natural motion of that spinal level, instead of fusing it shut. Preserving motion at the level helps maintain normal cervical biomechanics and may reduce the risk of problems developing at adjacent levels. This approach is different from procedures that simply decompress without regard to motion or from fusion, which decompress but eliminate motion at the treated segment.