Overview
Cervical Disc Replacement is a motion-preserving spine surgery of the spine in which the surgeon removes the herniated or degenerated cervical disc from the front of the neck to decompress the spinal cord and nerve, then implants an articulating artificial disc that keeps the segment mobile. It is most often recommended for Herniated Disc, Degenerative Disc Disease, Cervical Radiculopathy.
The procedure is performed through a anterior cervical approach under general and typically takes about 90 minutes. Most patients stay 1 night in hospital. The implants used are cervical arthroplasty device.
Partner surgeons in Turkey perform this operation regularly in accredited hospitals, and Orthopedics Abroad coordinates imaging review, surgical planning, travel and follow-up so the medical pathway is the same as it would be at home.
Conditions treated
Who it's for
- Herniated Disc
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Cervical Radiculopathy
Good candidates
Good candidates for cervical disc replacement have symptoms that clearly limit daily activities, imaging that confirms the diagnosis and have completed an appropriate course of non-operative treatment. General health, bone quality, body weight, smoking status and expectations are all reviewed during the medical record assessment before a surgical date is offered. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, active infection or unmanaged cardiac disease are optimised first.
How the operation is performed
Cervical Disc Replacement is carried out through a anterior cervical approach. In summary, the surgeon removes the herniated or degenerated cervical disc from the front of the neck to decompress the spinal cord and nerve, then implants an articulating artificial disc that keeps the segment mobile. Variants include single level, two level, hybrid with fusion; your surgeon will explain which is recommended and why. The operation lasts approximately 90 minutes under general.
Recovery
You spend about 1 night in hospital and begin guided rehabilitation immediately. Expect the main recovery phase to last around 8 weeks, with continued improvement for up to a year. Return to desk work is usually possible within 1 to 3 weeks, and more physical activity is reintroduced in stages agreed with your physiotherapist. A written rehabilitation protocol is provided before you fly home.
Day 0–1
Stand and walk with support
Week 1–3
Desk work, light activity
Week 8+
Full activity as cleared
Risks and how they are managed
All surgery carries risk. Partner hospitals follow enhanced-recovery and infection-prevention protocols, and your surgeon will discuss the risks specific to your case before consent.
- Heterotopic ossification limiting motion
- Implant migration
- Swallowing difficulty in the early weeks
- Infection (superficial or deep)
- Blood clots (DVT / pulmonary embolism)
- Bleeding or haematoma
- Anaesthetic complications
- Nerve or blood-vessel injury near the operative site
- Persistent pain or stiffness
Alternatives
- Non-operative care
- Fusion (ACDF) as the alternative surgical option
- Microdiscectomy in selected cases
- Laminectomy in selected cases
What cervical disc replacement costs
The contracted Turkey partner package next to approved self-pay benchmarks. Benchmarks are 20th–80th percentile ranges of approved records, normalised to USD.
Turkey package
$9,000 – $14,000
United States self-pay
$35,200 – $80,400
United Kingdom self-pay
$15,300 – $41,650
Typical self-pay range by country
Surgeons who perform cervical disc replacement
All surgeonsHospitals offering this procedure
Antalya Yaşam Hospital
Private hospital in Muratpaşa, Antalya, with an orthopedics and traumatology department
BHT Clinic Istanbul Tema Hospital
Large private hospital in Atakent, Küçükçekmece, with an orthopedics and traumatology unit
Biruni University Hospital
University hospital in Küçükçekmece, Istanbul, with a published orthopedics and traumatology department
Çankaya Hospital for Orthopedic Care
Çankaya Hospital for Orthopedic Care is an orthopedic hospital in central Ankara with robotic-arm assisted surgery
