Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc made out of? Is it a material that's been used in people in the past?

	Dr. Vincent Traynelis Iowa City, IA The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is constructed with stainless steel. Stainless steel implants have been used safely and successfully for a number of indications for many decades.
	Dr. Kenneth Burkus Columbus, GA It's made of surgical grade stainless steel, which has a long history of being used in the body. It was used in spinal surgery from the very start. The Harrington Rod, which was placed in adolescent girls in the 1960s, was made of stainless steel. The original plates and screws used to fix bones were all stainless steel. So it's a material that is currently being implanted around the world, throughout the body, and has a very long track history. It also has a very long history as a bearing surface.
	Dr. Rebecca Stachniak Plano, TX The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is made of stainless steel, a material that has a long history of use.
	Dr. Praveen Mummaneni San Francisco, CA It is made of stainless steel, a material widely used in humans for joint replacement and spinal rods.
	Dr. Rick Sasso Indianapolis, IN It is made from stainless steel — surgical grade stainless steel and yes, it's been used in multiple implants throughout the years.
	Dr. Todd Lanman Los Angeles, CA The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel materials have been used for many years as implanted materials in the human body and the body does quite well with stainless steel implants whether they're for femurs, hips, rods, screws for the lumbar spine, or plates for the neck.
	Dr. Richard Fessler Chicago, IL The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is made of stainless steel. This material has been used in orthopedic surgery for many years.
	Dr. Paul Broadstone Chattanooga, TN It is a stainless steel device that is inserted in the disc space. The material is a common component used in implants for disc replacements in other areas of the body as well as fixation devices used by orthopedists for fixation of fractures.
	Dr. Todd Bonvallet Chattanooga, TN The material that is used in the PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is stainless steel, a material commonly used in many other orthopedic implants such as artificial knees, hips and long bone rods and plates.
	Dr. Michael Neuwirth New York, NY The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is made of stainless steel. This is a commonly used implant material for orthopedic devices and has been used safely throughout the spine for many years.
	Dr. Jeffrey Carlson Newport News, VA The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is constructed of surgical-grade stainless steel. This material has a very long history of use for medical purposes, including hip and knee replacements, and also in the screws, plates and rods that are used for orthopaedic fracture care.
	Dr. Robert Pashman Los Angeles, CA The PRESTIGE® Cervical Disc is constructed of stainless steel. Stainless steel has been used in various orthopaedic medical devices for many years and has been deemed safe.

The commentary above recounts the experiences of these physicians. Medtronic invited them to share their stories candidly. Keep in mind that results vary; not every patient's response is the same. The degree of motion maintained may vary with each individual patient. Talk with your doctor to learn more about any products that are mentioned above.

It is important that you discuss the potential risks, complications and benefits of spinal surgery with your doctor prior to receiving treatment, and that you rely on your doctor's judgment. Only your doctor can determine whether you are a suitable candidate for this treatment.