The current state of cervical and lumbar spinal disc arthroplasty.

The growth of spinal implant and orthobiologic technologies over the last several years is increasing in tempo (Figure 1) and fast approaching the US hip and knee markets in annual dollar sales. During this time, a number of start-up and established medical device manufacturers have focused increasing resources on solutions for spinal problems. The role of the orthopaedic and neurosurgeon in these enterprises as inventor, owner, and user has contributed to this march of progress. This exhibit describes a small (<1%), but increasingly visible, aspect of these advancing technologies, that of artificial disc replacement.