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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in the Ovine Model
Published on: October 5, 2009
Heterotopic ossification associated with myelopathy following cervical disc prosthesis implantation
Markus Wenger1, Thomas-Marc Markwalder2
1Neurosurgery, Klinik Beau-Site, and Salemspital, Schänzlihalde 11, 3000 Bern 25, Switzerland.
Abstract:
This case report presents a 37-year-old man with clinical signs of myelopathy almost 9 years after implantation of a Bryan disc prosthesis (Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN, USA) for C5/C6 soft disc herniation. As demonstrated on MRI and CT scan, spinal cord compression was caused by bony spurs due to heterotopic ossification posterior to the still moving prosthesis. The device, as well as the ectopic bone deposits, had to be removed because of myelopathy and its imminent aggravation. Conversion to anterior spondylodesis was performed.
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