The FDA has given Medtronic approval to bring to market its PRESTIGE LP Cervical Disc System, an implant intended to treat single-level diseased discs, whether from radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. The device is an unpgrade to the PRESTIGE disc the company released in 2007 that features a ball-and-trough socket that maintains natural bending, rotation, and translation of the two components relative to each other.

The LP disc uses new materials and an improved fixation mechanism that utilizes two rails that press into pre-drilled holes instead of the commonly used bone screws. The implant is made of a proprietary titanium-ceramic composite that the company claims has demonstrated slower wear while producing less visual scatter during MRI scans when compared to stainless steel. The device has been available around the world for a decade now, with the FDA finally issuing approval following a prospective, multicenter, historical-controlled IDE trial in the U.S.

Here’s a Medtronic video describing the PRESTIGE LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwpor0ckmFs

Source:Medtronic