On October 20, 2026, Dr. Jonathan Stieber performed the first Synergy Cervical Disc replacement in New York City at NYU Langone Health. The Synergy Disc is a newly FDA-approved artificial cervical disc designed to do two things at once: preserve motion at the operated level and improve the alignment of the neck.
Cervical disc replacement, also called cervical disc arthroplasty, treats a herniated or degenerated disc in the neck that is compressing a nerve root or the spinal cord. Instead of fusing the two vertebrae together, the surgeon removes the damaged disc and replaces it with an implant that continues to move.
For patients in Manhattan and Bergen County, this case means a new option for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy is now available locally, from a surgeon who has performed cervical arthroplasty for nearly two decades and who was selected to introduce this device to the New York market.
The Synergy Disc is an artificial cervical disc made by Synergy Spine Solutions. It is FDA approved for single-level cervical disc replacement from C3 to C7 and is the first cervical disc designed specifically to improve alignment while preserving motion.
The design uses materials with a long track record in joint replacement:
The disc is implanted through the same small incision at the front of the neck used for standard anterior cervical surgery. The manufacturer's device page is at synergyspinesolutions.com.
A healthy neck has a gentle forward curve called cervical lordosis. When a disc wears out, it loses height and the segment can tip into kyphosis. That change shifts load onto the facet joints and the discs above and below.
First-generation artificial discs were built to move but not to correct alignment. If a disc was implanted into a kyphotic segment, it moved in kyphosis. Over time this has been linked to facet joint arthritis, heterotopic ossification (unwanted bone formation around the implant) and loss of motion.
The Synergy Disc addresses this directly. Its lordotic core restores the angle at the operated level, and its mobile center of rotation lets the segment move around a more natural axis. According to the manufacturer, this design provides greater segmental postural control than a traditional ball-and-socket disc while preserving motion.
For a surgeon, this means the same operation can now restore the shape of the neck as well as its movement. For a patient, it means the implant is working with the mechanics of the spine rather than against them.
Cervical disc replacement is an option for adults with a single damaged disc between C3 and C7 that is causing nerve or spinal cord compression, and whose symptoms have not improved after at least six weeks of non-operative care.
Typical candidates have:
Disc replacement is generally not recommended for patients with advanced facet arthritis, significant instability, osteoporosis, prior fusion at the same level, or an active infection. Patients with multi-level disease or a strongly kyphotic neck may be better served by fusion or a hybrid construct. Dr. Stieber reviews each patient's imaging, examination and goals before recommending an operation.
Not sure which applies to you? Learn more about cervical disc replacement or request a consultation.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been the standard operation for a herniated cervical disc for more than 60 years and remains an excellent procedure. Disc replacement uses the same approach and the same decompression, but ends differently.
|
Cervical disc replacement |
ACDF |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Motion at the operated level |
Preserved |
Eliminated by fusion |
|
Stress on adjacent discs |
Lower in long-term studies |
Higher; adjacent segment disease is the main late complication |
|
Collar after surgery |
Usually none or a few days |
Often several weeks |
|
Return to desk work |
Typically 1–2 weeks |
Typically 2–4 weeks |
|
Bone healing required |
No |
Yes; smoking and diabetes slow fusion |
|
Reoperation at 7–10 years (FDA trials) |
Lower than ACDF across multiple devices |
Higher, driven by adjacent-level surgery |
|
Best suited for |
One or two levels, preserved motion, healthy facets |
Multi-level disease, instability, poor bone, severe kyphosis |
Both operations relieve arm pain and neurologic symptoms at similar rates in the first two years. The advantage of disc replacement shows up later, in the form of fewer additional operations at neighboring levels. The Synergy Disc is designed to extend that advantage by also correcting the segmental alignment that ACDF has traditionally handled better than earlier artificial discs.
Most patients go home the same day or the next morning. Arm pain from nerve compression is usually better immediately after surgery; numbness and weakness improve more gradually over weeks to months as the nerve recovers.
A typical timeline:
Every patient is different, and Dr. Stieber's team gives each patient a written recovery plan tailored to their job, sport and overall health.
Who performed the first Synergy Disc replacement in New York City? Dr. Jonathan Stieber, an orthopaedic spine surgeon and Clinical Associate Professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, performed the first Synergy Cervical Disc implantation in New York City on October 20, 2026, at NYU Langone Health.
Is the Synergy Disc FDA approved? Yes. The Synergy Disc is FDA approved for single-level cervical disc replacement at C3 through C7 in skeletally mature patients with symptomatic cervical disc disease.
How is the Synergy Disc different from other artificial cervical discs? It is the first cervical disc with a built-in lordotic angle (0° or 6°) intended to restore the natural curve of the neck, combined with a mobile center of rotation. Earlier discs preserved motion but did not correct alignment.
Is cervical disc replacement better than fusion? For the right patient, disc replacement preserves motion and lowers the long-term risk of needing surgery at a neighboring level. Fusion remains the better choice for multi-level disease, instability, poor bone quality or severe kyphosis.
How long does the surgery take? A single-level cervical disc replacement typically takes about 60 to 90 minutes under general anesthesia, through a small incision in a skin crease at the front of the neck.
Will I need a neck brace? Most patients do not. The implant is stable at the time of surgery, and early movement is encouraged.
Can I have an MRI with a Synergy Disc? Yes. The Synergy Disc is MR Conditional, and its titanium-and-polyethylene materials are optimized for imaging, so the spine can be evaluated on MRI and CT after surgery. Your imaging center will follow the manufacturer's MRI safety conditions.
Does insurance cover cervical disc replacement? Most commercial insurers and Medicare cover single-level cervical disc replacement when criteria are met. Dr. Stieber's office verifies benefits and handles pre-authorization before surgery.
Where does Dr. Stieber perform cervical disc replacement? At NYU Langone Health in Manhattan and at surgical facilities in Englewood, New Jersey. Consultations are offered at OrthoManhattan (485 Madison Avenue) and OrthoEnglewood (34 S. Dean Street).
Jonathan Stieber, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon with nearly 20 years of practice in New York City. He is Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Director of Spine Surgery at OrthoManhattan and OrthoEnglewood.
Dr. Stieber has performed cervical and lumbar disc replacement since the first devices were approved in the United States and is regularly selected by device manufacturers to introduce new motion-preserving technology to the New York market. He teaches spine surgery to residents and fellows at NYU and lectures nationally on cervical spine disorders.
If you have neck pain with arm pain, numbness or weakness, or have been told you need a cervical fusion, a second opinion on disc replacement may be worthwhile.
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Dr. Stieber has no financial relationship with Synergy Spine Solutions. Device images and animation used with permission.
