From Fusion to Motion: Dr. Joel S. Beckett Presented Restorative Motion Surgery Concepts at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute Spine Symposium

Presentation explored motion-restoring alternatives for select patients with persistent pain or pseudoarthrosis following cervical fusion surgery

BEVERLY HILLS, CA / ACCESS Newswire / June 1, 2026 / Joel S. Beckett, MD, MHS, FAANS, presented “From Fusion to Motion” on Friday, May 29^th, at the 2nd Annual Hoag Orthopedic Institute Spine Symposium in Newport Beach, California. The presentation examined restorative motion surgery and the expanding role of cervical disc arthroplasty for select patients with persistent pain or pseudoarthrosis following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Dr. Beckett discussed restorative motion strategies for converting prior cervical fusion to disc arthroplasty at symptomatic levels, with the goal of restoring motion, addressing persistent neck and arm pain, and reducing the mechanical stresses that can contribute to adjacent segment degeneration. The presentation also examined the long-term biomechanical consequences of cervical fusion, including adjacent segment degeneration, persistent axial neck pain, loss of lordosis, and compensatory stress across neighboring spinal levels.

“Spine surgeons spent decades relying on fusion to treat cervical degenerative disc disease knowing it can alter biomechanics and place additional stress on adjacent levels,” said Dr. Beckett. “Cervical arthroplasty now gives us the ability, in carefully selected patients, to restore motion and improve biomechanics rather than simply repeating or extending a fusion.”

Dr. Beckett presented clinical experience with restorative motion surgery, including conversion of prior ACDF procedures to cervical disc arthroplasty in select patients. Data presented included improvements in pain, Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores, cervical lordosis, and segmental range of motion following conversion procedures.

According to the presentation, approximately 50 restorative motion surgery patients, encompassing roughly 80 cervical levels, had been treated to date, with follow-up ranging from 2 to 9 years. No subsidence, implant migration, failed osseointegration, or periprosthetic bone loss had been observed in this cohort to date.

To place restorative motion surgery within the broader evolution of cervical arthroplasty, Dr. Beckett also reviewed long-term evidence supporting cervical disc replacement from major U.S. investigational device exemption (IDE) trials involving Bryan, Prestige LP, Mobi-C, ProDisc-C, Simplify, and Synergy cervical disc systems. He emphasized that advances in implant design, biomechanics, imaging, and patient selection had accelerated the evolution of motion-preserving spine surgery.

The Hoag Orthopedic Institute Spine Symposium brought together leading spine surgeons and specialists from across the country to discuss advances in spinal biomechanics, minimally invasive surgery, motion preservation, and complex cervical and lumbar reconstruction.

Disclaimer

Some procedures and techniques discussed during the presentation involve FDA off-label use of spinal implants. Treatment decisions should be individualized based on patient anatomy, pathology, and surgeon judgment.

About Beckett NeuroSpine

Beckett NeuroSpine is a specialty spine surgery practice led by Joel S. Beckett, MD, MHS, FAANS, a dual fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in artificial disc replacement, restorative motion surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, and complex spinal reconstruction. Educated at Yale, trained at UCLA, and further refined at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Beckett focuses on motion-preserving strategies designed to restore function while avoiding unnecessary fusion whenever possible. Beckett NeuroSpine cares for patients through offices in Marina del Rey, Beverly Hills, and Las Vegas.

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SOURCE: Beckett NeuroSpine

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