A Medical Device Daily

Cervitech (Rockaway, New Jersey) reported the completion of patient enrollment in its PCM (Porous Coated Motion) artificial cervical disc study. The data attained from the multi-center study may support approval of an alternative to cervical spine fusion for patients suffering from degenerative disc disease and herniated discs, according to Cervitech, and support an application to the FDA.

The PCM disc was designed by spine surgeons in collaboration with Waldemar Link (Hamburg, Germany). The PCM is designed to retain motion following the removal of the injured or diseased disc. It is made of cobalt chrome alloy and ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene, materials used in artificial hip and knee replacements. The PCM is implanted into the disc space between the bones in the neck, and the gliding interface between the upper and lower implant components allow motion between the adjacent vertebrae as the neck bends and twists, according to Cervitech.