Implant Migration in Cervical Disc Arthroplasty

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to discuss the causes of implant migration after cervical arthroplasty with clinical cases. Material and Methods The patients who underwent cervical arthroplasty operations in our department between 2006 and 2015 due to cervical disc disease were retrospectively analyzed. The patients who were determined to be symptomatic of implant migration were evaluated. Results Symptomatic implant migration was detected in 5 (0.3%) of 163 patients who underwent cervical disc arthroplasty, and these patients were also re-operated. In 4 patients who were re-operated, the prosthesis was removed and an anterior fusion was made. The prosthesis was only removed in one patient. Conclusions The following situations should be considered in the prevention of dislocation and migration of the implant in cervical arthroplasty: protection of the structure of the endplate, selection of the appropriate implant size, and proper surgical construction. In the preoperative period, computed tomography may be useful for determining the implant size and details of the bone structure. Foreign body reactions or postoperative trauma may be a rare and unpreventable reason for prosthesis dislocation despite all of the preoperative and perioperative measures and well-made prosthesis designs.