Cervical Disc Replacement
October 24, 2008 – 4:13 pm NOHCIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Frequently, patients ask me about the latest technology in disc replacement surgery. My clinical interests in spine surgery include procedures that not only alleviate pain, but also allow my patients to regain their normal motion. There has been a significant breakthrough in the way spine surgeons treat cervical herniated discs and neck pain. While the clinical indications for this procedure are specific, a cervical disc replacement is an excellent option for patients who might have otherwise undergone a fusion operation years ago.
The initial stage of both operations remains the same – a thorough decompression of the involved area to remove pressure from the nerves and spinal canal. However, the main difference between cervical fusion surgery and disc arthroplasty (replacement) is that motion will largely be preserved with the latter. The general benefits of retaining one’s motion in the neck are readily appreciated. However, a key benefit of motion preservation is less “wear and tear” on the adjacent levels - thereby decreasing the chances discs above and below degenerate with time. Also, since we are not “welding” bones together as we do in fusion surgery (the fusion takes a significant portion of time to heal), patients return to activities such as driving, working, and recreational activities much sooner.
Please speak with your spine surgeon to see if this motion preserving procedure is right for you.
