Artificial disc replacement has grown in spine surgery in recent decades. Here are five numbers to know about the procedure:
$4.4 billion — The projected size of the cervical disc market. By 2028, the cervical artificial disc market is projected to grow 18 percent, according to market research from Insight Partners. In 2022, the market is valued at $1.6 billion.
$32,521 — The average cost of ADR in New York City. According to Healthcare Bluebook, the average cost of an artificial disc replacement in 30 of the most populous U.S. cities can range from $21,126 to $43,564.
2000 — The year artificial disc replacement debuted in the U.S. Scott Blumenthal, MD, performed the first ADR with Charité as part of an FDA trial at Texas Back Institute in Plano. In 2001, Jack Zigler, MD, performed the first lumbar ADR in the U.S using the prodisc L implant as part of another FDA trial.
January 2022 — Texas Back Institute reaches a milestone. The practice has now completed more than 3,000 lumbar ADR procedures.
239 — The size of a class-action lawsuit on ADR coverage. Aetna Life Insurance was denied a petition for an immediate appeal in a 239-person class lawsuit that went forward in June 2021. A 2019 lawsuit alleged Aetna denied coverage for artificial disc replacement surgery, saying the procedure was "experimental or investigational."