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Updated: Feb 2, 2026
10:10
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
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Granulomatous Reaction on a Double-Level Cervical Total Disc Arthroplasty
Cedric Baltus1, Emmanuel Costa1, Geraldo Vaz1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Saint-Luc Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
World Neurosurgery
|November 21, 2018
Summary
Granuloma formation can occur after cervical total disc arthroplasty (TDA), or artificial disc replacement. This case highlights nylon thread extrusion from a TDA prosthesis causing a granulomatous reaction, a rare complication.
Area of Science:
- Spine surgery
- Biomaterials science
- Pathology
Background:
- Cervical total disc arthroplasty (TDA) is an alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for degenerative cervical spine disease.
- TDA aims to preserve motion and reduce adjacent segment degeneration.
- Granuloma formation following cervical TDA is exceptionally rare.
Observation:
- A patient developed recurrent cervicalgia two years after a double-level cervical TDA.
- Cervical MRI suggested granulomatous formation on the C6-C7 prosthesis.
- Surgical removal revealed prosthesis rupture with nylon thread extrusion.
Findings:
- Histopathology confirmed a giant cell granulomatous reaction to extruded nylon threads.
- This complication has been rarely reported following lumbar and cervical TDA.
- This represents the third reported case of granulomatous reaction to nylon extrusion after cervical TDA.
Implications:
- Nylon extrusion from TDA prostheses can lead to rare but significant granulomatous complications.
- This case underscores the importance of material integrity in cervical TDA.
- Further research into long-term biomaterial behavior in TDA is warranted.
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