Mobi-C: How It Works


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Surgery images

 

History

 

The Mobi-C Cervical Disc is one of the most widely used cervical discs in the world. First implanted in France in November 2004, Mobi-C has now been implanted in more than 75,000 spinal levels in 25 countries.

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Mobi-C entered an FDA clinical trial in 2006, in which 647 levels of Mobi-C were implanted. A total of 599 patients were involved in the clinical trial at 24 study centers across the U.S. This represents the largest clinical trial ever conducted in the U.S. for cervical disc replacement. Mobi-C received FDA approval in August of 2013, making it the first cervical disc with both one and two-level indications.

Mobi-C is made with two Cobalt Chromium alloy endplates that are plasma sprayed with titanium and coated with hydroxyapatite, and has an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene plastic insert (UHMWPE). These are proven materials that have been used in orthopedic applications for over 60 years.


Patented Mobile Bearing Technology

 

The Mobi-C top plate moves over the plastic insert. The plastic insert slides across and twists on the bottom plate.

The muscles and soft tissue in your neck move the vertebrae and the attached Mobi-C plates. With vertebrae and neck muscle movement, the Mobi-C is free to twist and slide left-to-right and front-to-back. This allows the vertebrae above and below the Mobi-C to move. This feature is designed to allow the disc to self-adjust and move with the spine, which is intended to facilitate motion similar to the natural cervical spine.


Bone Sparing Technology

 

There are no invasive keels or screws required for Mobi-C placement. No bone chiseling eliminates operative steps and preserves the vertebrae for a stable surface ideal for one or two-level implantation.

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Who Should Receive a Mobi-C?

 

The Mobi-C Cervical Disc:

  • Is for adults; the vertebrae must be mature (age range, 21-67 years).

  • Takes the place of one or two damaged cervical discs next to each other (contiguous or adjacent) from levels C3-C7.

  • Is for patients with arm pain and/or neurological symptoms such as weakness or numbness with or without neck pain. The damaged disc may be irritating the:

    • Spinal cord (myelopathy) or nerve roots (radiculopathy). This can cause a loss of feeling, loss of movement, pain, weakness, or tingling down the arm and possibly into the hands.

  • Disc damage needs to be proven by a review of your CT, MRI, or X-ray images. Images of the neck should show at least one of the following:

    • Inner disc squeezing through the outer disc (herniated nucleus pulposus).

    • Degeneration of the spine from wear and tear (spondylosis). There may be boney growth (osteophytes) on a vertebra.

    • Loss of disc height compared to the levels above and below.

  • Is for people who have not responded to non-surgical care. Patient should either have:

    • Tried at least six weeks of other medical treatments such as physical therapy and medicine before having surgery; or

    • Have signs or symptoms that their condition is getting worse even with other medical treatments.


Who Should Not Receive a Mobi-C?

 

If you have any of the following, you should NOT have surgery with Mobi-C:

  • An active whole body (systemic) infection, such as pneumonia.

  • An infection at the surgery site, such as a skin rash or infected cut.

  • A known allergy to what Mobi-C is made of: cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, titanium, hydroxyapatite, polyethylene, and other trace elements. Talk to your doctor if you have a metal allergy.

  • Damaged cervical vertebrae from an accident (trauma) at one of the surgery levels.

  • An unhealthy shape (deformity) of the cervical vertebrae at one of the surgery levels. Deformity could be caused by an inflammatory disease where the vertebrae swell or grow together and limit movement, such as ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

  • A cervical spine that shows an unhealthy amount of extra movement (instability). This can be measured by X-rays taken from your side when the spine is still and bending.

  • Low bone mineral density, such as osteoporosis or osteopenia (defined as a DEXA bone mineral density T-score < -1.5). This condition could increase the risk of bone breaking or cause an implant to loosen.

  • Severe disease or degeneration in the joints in the back of the cervical vertebrae (facet joints).