A Milestone in Motion: Cervical Disc Replacement Debuts in Victoria

4/3/2026

A New Era in Spine Care Arrives in the Crossroads

For many families across Victoria and the Crossroads, severe neck pain has meant more than discomfort. It has meant sleepless nights, missed work, giving up favorite activities — and, when surgery became necessary, long drives to Houston or San Antonio for care.

That is no longer the case.

In February 2026, Dr. Derek Moody, a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon with Victoria Orthopedic Center, performed the first cervical disc replacement surgeries ever completed in Victoria. For patients in Victoria — and in surrounding communities like Edna, Cuero, Yoakum, Shiner, Port Lavaca, Bay City and Beeville — this means access to advanced neck surgery close to home.

Understanding Cervical Disc Replacement

Dr. Moody explains cervical disc replacement in a way patients immediately understand.

“The discs in your neck act like cushions between the bones,” he says. “They help you turn your head, look up and down and move comfortably. When one of those discs wears out or slips out of place, it can press on a nerve. That’s when people start feeling constant neck pain, pain shooting down the arm, numbness or weakness.”

Most patients try non-surgical treatments first, such as physical therapy, medications, or injections. But when those options no longer provide relief, surgery may be considered.

“For years, the standard operation was a fusion,” Dr. Moody explains. “We would remove the damaged disc and join the bones together. It works well, but it stops movement at that level of the neck.”

Cervical disc replacement takes a different approach. The damaged disc is removed, pressure on the nerve is relieved, and an artificial disc is placed in its position. Unlike fusion, the artificial disc is designed to allow the neck to keep moving naturally.

“For the right patient, it allows us to fix the problem while preserving motion,” he says. “That can make a real difference in how the neck feels and functions long term.”

He emphasizes that careful evaluation is key.

“Not everyone is a candidate for disc replacement, but oftentimes it is a superior procedure,” Dr. Moody says.

One of the major benefits of motion preservation, Dr. Moody notes, is what it may prevent down the road.

“When you fuse one level of the spine, the levels above and below have to work harder,” he explains. “By preserving motion, we decrease the strain on those adjacent levels. That lowers the likelihood that a patient will need additional surgeries in the future.”

Precision, Technology, and Safety

These procedures are performed using a high-powered operating microscope, allowing Dr. Moody to see delicate nerves and structures with exceptional clarity.

“In spine surgery, millimeters matter,” he says. “The microscope gives us precision and visualization that enhances both safety and accuracy.”

In addition, advanced neuromonitoring is used throughout the operation to continuously monitor the health and function of the nerves.

“We’re watching the nerves in real time during the entire procedure,” Dr. Moody explains. “That added layer of monitoring helps ensure everything remains safe while we relieve the pressure.”

For many patients, cervical disc replacement is often performed as a same-day surgery, meaning they can return home the very day of their procedure.

“Most patients are up walking shortly after surgery,” he says. “Being able to recover in your own home that same day is a major benefit.”

A First for Victoria

Cervical disc replacement has been available for years in large metropolitan hospitals. But until now, it had not been performed in Victoria. With these surgeries, Dr. Moody has introduced a new level of spine care to the Crossroads.

“I’m proud to bring cervical disc replacement to Victoria,” Dr. Moody says. “People shouldn’t have to leave their families or their community to get skilled care. You deserve the same caliber of surgery here at home that you’d find in a major city.”

This milestone is just the beginning. Cervical disk replacement is just one of the many advanced and minimally invasive spine procedures that Dr. Moody brings to the Crossroads. “Other new techniques include minimally invasive lumbar decompressions and fusions, as well as advanced non-operative spine care,” said Dr. Moody.

Advanced procedures often take years to reach smaller communities. By offering this surgery locally, Victoria now stands among a limited number of regional cities providing motion-preserving spine surgery close to home.

Why Staying Local Matters

For patients already living with pain, traveling for surgery can feel overwhelming. It means time off work, hotel stays for loved ones, and recovering far from home.

“I’ve seen patients delay surgery simply because the travel added so much stress,” Dr. Moody says. “When you’re hurting every day, the last thing you want is to be away from your support system.”

Now, patients can have consultations, imaging, surgery and follow-up appointments all in Victoria. Recovery happens close to family, friends and familiar surroundings. Rehabilitation and check-ups remain local, allowing Dr. Moody to personally walk with patients through each stage of healing.

And for him, that journey is the most meaningful part.

“There’s nothing like seeing someone who could barely turn their head come back into the office smiling, telling me they’re sleeping through the night again or able to pick up their grandchild,” Dr. Moody says.

“Watching patients get their lives back — return to work, to church, to the sidelines of their kids’ games — that’s why I do this. Being able to offer that here in my own community makes it even more special.”

For the Crossroads region, cervical disc replacement represents more than a new surgical option. It represents access, progress, and hope — proving that patients no longer have to leave Victoria to receive advanced spine care.

Dr. Derek Moody, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon with Victoria Orthopedic Center.

Dr. Derek Moody, orthopedic spine surgeon with Victoria Orthopedic Center and Margaret Schaar, R.N., director of the operating room at DeTar Healthcare System.

Dr. Derek Moody, orthopedic spine surgeon with Victoria Orthopedic Center, and Richard Garcia, surgical technician, in the operating room at DeTar Hospital Navarro.

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