PEEK Interbody Device Allows Simpler Spinal Fusion Procedures

A new device for neck surgery features a lower profile, uses fewer screws, and allows for better X-ray imaging than a traditional metal plate.

The PEEK Prevail Cervical Interbody Device is indicated for use in patients with degenerative conditions that affects the cervical spine from the C2-C3 disc to the C7-T1 disc, and is used to perform spinal fusion in those patients after six weeks of nonoperative treatment. The Prevail is intended for use with autograft bone to initially restore a patient's disc height, and the implantation procedure calls for an open, anterior approach; once the autograft is in place, the Prevail device is used to secure the bone graft. The zero-profile device is made from polyetheretherketone (PEEK), which is invisible on X-rays, allowing the surgeon to view the spinal fusion during follow-up visits. The prevail features an I-beam shape with an integrated two-screw configuration, which provides construct rigidity similar to that obtained by the traditional fixation techniques, such as a threaded cage or four-screw fixation plating. In addition to the two-screw fixation, the Prevail device incorporates a nickel titanium (NiTi, Nitinol) wire locking mechanism to keep the screws securely in place. The PEEK Prevail Cervical Interbody Device is a product of Medtronic (Minneapolis, MN, USA).

"The specific advantages of the PEEK Prevail Cervical Interbody Device over other techniques, such as zero profile and device design, makes this an exciting option for today's spinal surgeon," said Dr. Richard Hynes, president and medical director of the B.A.C.K. Center (Melbourne, FL, USA).

Cervical spinal disc disease is defined as intractable radiculopathy (radiating pain), and/or myelopathy (weakness) with herniated disc, and/or osteophyte formation on posterior vertebral end plates, which produce symptomatic nerve root and spinal cord compression that cause pain in the neck and arms. Over 200,000 cervical fusion procedures to relieve compression on the spinal cord or nerve roots are performed each year in the United States alone.

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B.A.C.K. Center