By Laura Dyrda
Changing clinical landscape
For years, spinal fusion has been the dominant procedure for cervical spine surgery. While spinal fusion continues to hold the largest market share, tides are changing as non-fusion options are more widely available and accepted in spine practices today. Companies focused on disc replacement, like LDR with its Mobi-C® Cervical Disc, are poised to become leaders in the changing spinal instrumentation market. 
The Millennium Research Group reported that the global spinal non-fusion market would surpass $1.6 billion by 2022, nearly tripling in size from just a few years ago. By 2020, cervical disc replacement is expected to have 10 percent of the global spine surgery market, according to a MedMarket Diligence report.
Patients are demanding alternatives to fusion, which limits mobility and could lead to adjacent segment disease. Payers are also more willing to reimburse for disc replacement devices, giving more patients access to the procedure.
There are around 31 million Americans with back pain at any given time and low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010. An estimated 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives. According to an American Chiropractic Association report, Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain. Healthcare providers are looking for the best solutions to treat each patient cost-effectively and return them to normal life.
Cervical disc replacement could fill those needs for the appropriately indicated patients.
Level 1, long-term, five-year safety and efficacy data on both the one and two- level Mobi-C versus traditional cervical fusion