Dr. Ross Jones Shows Disc Replacement Not Just “One Size Fits All” Any Longer
Ross A. Jones, DO, a spine surgeon with Flagstaff Bone & Joint since 2017, has long been one of the region’s leaders in motion preservation technologies of the spine and a strong advocate of artificial disc replacements for appropriate patients. Having performed hundreds of these procedures in recent years for both the cervical and lumbar spine, recent technology advancements have led Dr. Jones to several options to select the appropriate implant device for his patients based on their anatomy, and not simply rely on a “One Size Fits All” approach.
Traditional surgical intervention for the spine may include fusing spinal segments together, which permanently fuses two vertebral bodies, eliminating movement between them. A total disc replacement (TDR) offers a surgical alternative to spinal fusions, where the damaged intervertebral disc is removed and replaced with an artificial implant. This technology works to relieve pain in patients suffering from a degenerated spinal disc while enabling motion over the long term at the diseased spinal segment and reducing adjacent-level degeneration and re-operations1. With Centinel Spine, the only United States provider of both cervical and lumbar total disc replacement devices, and their prodisc® line of implants (prodisc® C, prodisc® C Vivo, prodisc® C SK, and prodisc® L), Dr. Jones now has options to ensure the best possible outcomes for his patients.
“Centinel Spine is uniquely positioned as the only company that has a device that can treat every type of endplate,” stated Jones. “Every patient’s anatomy is different and to have the option for multiple implants gives me the opportunity to treat every patient as an individual.”
Centinel Spine’s prodisc® is the most studied total disc replacement technology in the world and has been validated with over 540 peer-reviewed published studies and over 250,000 implantations worldwide. It is the only TDR technology with multiple motion-preserving anatomic solutions, allowing the surgeon to Match-the-Disc™ to each patient’s anatomy for both cervical and lumbar total disc replacement.
The prodisc® design incorporates prodisc® CORE technology, the basis behind predictable clinical outcomes of the prodisc® platform, and after 30 years, it has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Additional endplate designs for the cervical spine, approved for U.S. distribution in 2021, allow for primary fixation optionality as well as choices based on patient anatomical differences.
In the lumbar spine, the prodisc® L system received one-level FDA approval in 2006 and since 2020 is the only total disc replacement device in the U.S. approved for two-level use in the lumbar spine. The addition of angled device endplate designs allows for implant optimization depending on the spinal level being operated on as well as maximizing lateral bending and axial rotation. Recent expanded insurance coverage for lumbar TDR with the prodisc® L device has contributed to the patient’s ability to have this procedure.
As one of the region’s leaders in total disc replacement procedures, Dr. Jones even takes it a step further beyond implant choice to ensure optimal surgical outcomes and safety for his patients. “Within surgery for each of these patients, I’ll do what’s called an interoperative nerve health assessment,” he stated. “This technology allows me to objectively measure whether I have affected the nerve positively or not. It also allows me to know when I’m done decompressing the nerve, so I don’t inadvertently do more than I need to. This is a great technology in conjunction with disc arthroplasty because the goal is to remove as little tissue as possible to preserve the patient’s normal anatomy.”
For today’s patient looking forward to a speedy recovery to an active lifestyle, prodisc® is a powerful treatment option worthy of consideration for appropriate patients. Patients can learn more about Dr. Jones, the total disc replacement procedure, and prodisc® by calling 928-773-2280, texting (928) 628-6391, or by visiting www.flagstaffboneandjoint.com.