**2.1 Indications**

While indications for both fusions and arthroplasty are always in a state of flux certain considerations can be made to this point. Both implants share similar clinical goals of decreased pain with increased function, and therefore there is considerable overlap in regards to their surgical indications. As a general rule both fusions and arthroplasty can be indicated for any skeletally mature patient who has neck pain and/or radiculopathy which has failed a course of six weeks of conservative nonoperative therapy.

**Figure 1.** *The cervical hybrid arthroplasty.*

Nonoperative treatments vary among medication, therapy, traction, chiropractic, acupuncture, activity modification, epidural injections and pain management.

Cervical hybrid arthroplasty Inclusion Criteria:

