Occupational Impact of Multilevel Cervical Disease Treated With Hybrid Cervical Disc Arthroplasty in Active Duty Military Population

This article evaluates the techniques, results, and complications of hybrid cervical disc arthroplasty in a high-demand military population. Emphasis is on the occupational impact and return to duty outcomes. This article is a case series with prospective follow-up of 30 hybrid cervical disc arthroplasty patients from the authors’ institution. Average follow-up was 16.1 months. Average patient age was 39.7 years. Noncommissioned officer was the most common military rank. Cervical disc arthroplasty at C5/6 with fusion at C6/7 was the most common procedure (21/30). All classifications of military occupational specialty were represented. A total of 24/30 (80%) patients returned to duty (RTD) and 24/24 (100%) of RTD patients reported relief (postoperative improvement) compared with 4/6 (66.7%) medical evaluation board patients. Average RTD time was 15.6 weeks. All RTD patients maintained their preoperative military occupational specialty. Hybrid cervical disc arthroplasty has the potential to provide relief and return military patients to preoperative active duty status. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 25(2):110–113, 2016)
Key words: arthroplasty, cervical, military, radiculopathy, spondylosis