CHARITE™ Artificial Disc

Introduction

After extensive review of the two year U.S. clinical trial results the FDA approved the CHARITÉ™ Artificial Disc, the first artificial disc for treatment of low back pain. This makes the CHARITE™ Artificial Disc the first and most clinically tested total disc replacement in the world. A breakthrough in non-fusion technology, it offers an innovative surgical option to physicians for treating some patients with degenerative disc disease and related conditions. Keep in mind that replacement of painful joints is already extremely common. For example, artificial hip and knee replacements are among the most successful and reliable operations performed today. The significance of bringing motion to spinal surgery may have the same dramatic impact, as did the above introductions.

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What is the CHARITE™ Artificial Disc?

The CHARITÉ™ Artificial Disc is a three-piece articulating medical device consisting of a sliding core sandwiched between two metal endplates. The sliding core is made from a medical grade plastic and the endplates are made from medical grade cobalt chromium alloy.These materials usually do not harm the human body and are used in many other medical implants such as total knee replacement implants. The endplates support the core and have small teeth which secure them to the vertebrae above and below the disc space. The sliding core fits in between. Laboratory testing shows that the CHARITE™ Artificial Disc design allows your spine to move. In the clinical study, patients were observed to have motion between 0 and 21 degrees while bending forward and backward.