Level-Specific Treatment
Each level receives the treatment it needs — motion where possible, fusion where necessary.
Treatments · Motion Preservation
Hybrid Constructs
Combining artificial disc replacement with fusion in one operation — motion preservation where it benefits you, stability where it protects you.
LEVEL-BY-LEVEL PLANNING
25+ DEVICE PLATFORMS
REVISION & COMPLEX CASES
17-YEAR FOLLOW-UP DATA
Tailored treatment philosophy
When and why hybrid surgery?
A hybrid construct combines artificial disc replacement (ADR) with fusion in a single operation — different levels, different discs, different solutions. Levels that can preserve motion are treated with an ADR; levels that cannot are fused, restoring stability where it is needed.
This is not a ‘one implant fits all’ approach. Each level is assessed on its own merits, giving every patient a true level-by-level treatment plan rather than a uniform solution.
Optimized Function
Motion preservation wherever anatomy allows it prevents one long fused section of spine.
Reduced ASD Risk
By keeping motion at suitable levels, stress on the levels above and below is reduced.
Frequently asked questions
Questions patients ask us
Common questions about hybrid constructs — answered plainly.
What is a hybrid construct, in plain terms?
A hybrid construct is a surgical plan that treats different discs differently. Levels that are suitable for artificial disc replacement get one, keeping motion. Levels that are not, most commonly because of facet arthritis or instability, get a fusion instead. Both are placed in a single operation, each matched to the level that needs it.
Why not just fuse every affected level?
Fusing a long section of spine turns it into one long bone. That removes most of the motion and concentrates stress at the ends of the construct. By preserving motion wherever the anatomy allows it, a hybrid construct avoids those consequences while still providing stability where it is needed.
I already have a fusion — can I still preserve motion at another level?
Yes, and this is one of the core applications of the technique. A patient who has already been fused at one level is often an excellent candidate for a motion-preserving reconstruction at an adjacent degenerated level.
Will my recovery be longer than a disc replacement alone?
The ADR component follows a classic motion-preservation recovery. The fusion component follows a healing timeline paced by bone growth, which takes longer. Total recovery sits somewhere between the two — paced by the slower, healing fusion.
Can a failed disc replacement be revised as part of a hybrid construct?
Yes. A failed disc replacement can be removed and the level reconstructed, most commonly with a fusion at that level and motion preservation above or below it. This is a revision scenario that requires significant experience.
How do you decide which level gets which treatment?
The decision is made level by level, before surgery. Facet joint status, alignment, bone quality and stability determine whether a level is suitable for motion preservation.
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Personalized Multi-Level Solutions
Explore whether a hybrid construct could be the optimal solution for your multi-level spine condition.
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Related treatments
Related Treatments
Parent overview
Artificial Disc Replacement
The full motion preservation programme, cervical and lumbar.
Sibling
Lumbar ADR
Motion preservation in the lower back under strict selection criteria.
Related
Complex Revision Cases
Failed fusion, failed devices and salvage procedures for spines that have been operated before.