Activ-L vs. ProDisc / Charite... Keel or no keel?

[mmglobal]

I spoke to John Regan yesterday and had the opportunity to discuss the Activ-L clinical trial. It's underway and he's already done many cases. As we've discussed in the past, the surgeon gets to choose the prosthesis for the control series... ProDisc or Charite'. He's been using ProDisc for many months now, so in addition to the many hundreds of Charite's, PCM's and other arthroplasty devices; he's already done several dozen ProDiscs.

I asked if the surgeons get to choose 'keel, or no keel'. He confirmed that they do get to choose and he' s using the keel most of the time, but has done both.

More options for us spineys... and a clinical trial without a fusion control group!

Mark

[ans]

What I'd like to know is what difference the keels make (seems like greater stabilization w/very slight risk of bone fracture) and the issue of revision surgery e.g. what to do w/a keel. Thanks Mark ~ ans

[Maria]

Is this one or multilevel (2) ?