Review Question - QID 5615

A 46-year-old male police officer complains of chronic and severe low back pain, without radiation of pain into the buttocks or legs, of three-year duration. Examination reveals posterior midline tenderness to palpation, and mid-line back pain aggravated by flexion and relieved by extension. Neurological examination is normal. Radiographs reveal no instability. A sagittal T2-weighted MRI scan is shown in Figure A. Extensive nonoperative treatment over 24 months has failed. Surgical options are discussed. Which of the following is true regarding total disk arthroplasty versus fusion in the treatment of isolated low back pain in the presence of advance single-level degenerative disc disease?