Most patients can expect improvement of lower back pain and disability in weeks to months following surgery. Studies show that disk replacement improves, but does not completely eliminate pain. Before your surgery, it is important to talk with your surgeon about realistic expectations for pain relief.
According to the FDA, however, this surgery has a success rate of more than 90%. Unlike spinal fusion surgery, which has a success rate of 70 to 90%, artificial disc replacement surgery for the cervical or lumbar spine has over 90%, making it a more effective and reliable procedure.
A small incision is made in the front of the neck usually only 3-4 centremetres long. No significant muscle is cut during the approach to the spine so there is minimal post-operative pain. It is common to have a sore throat and some mild discomfort with swallowing after the surgery. This usually settles over 2-3 days.
The greatest benefit of artificial disc replacement surgery is that it allows your spine to bend, twist, and flex normally. Unlike spinal fusion, which limits the movement of your spine by fusing two vertebrae together, disc replacement only affects the one vertebral set that houses the diseased disk.
Compared to techniques such as spinal fusion surgery, disc replacement has the advantage of maintaining fuller motion in the spine, which may lessen the likelihood of problems developing at adjacent levels in the spine.
Artificial disc replacement durability: Results of clinical trials. Most sources say that an artificial disc replacement lasts at least 10 years.
Daily Living
After cervical disc replacement surgery, most people can return to a life with minimal to no neck pain. In other words, the things you have lost because of chronic neck pain may be yours once again.
In general, lumbar disk replacement surgery might be recommended if: Your back pain mostly comes from only 1 or 2 disks in your lower spine. You have no significant joint disease or compression on the nerves of your spine. You are not excessively overweight.
Artificial disc replacement offers some advantages over spinal fusion. The biggest advantage is that disc replacement preserves motion and mobility in the spine while fusion does not. This is especially important for people who want to live active and not just pain-free lives.
The average cost in Australian dollars for a surgical episode was $46,000 for a spinal fusion and $20,000 for a decompression. Two years post-fusion, only 19 % of people had returned to work at full capacity; 39 % after decompression.
Avoid bending at all after a lumbar fusion if possible, as bending or twisting can interfere with the way the fusion heals and even damage the work that was done.
Two-level disc replacement is not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. In some exceptional circumstances, insurances may consider some funding. Usually, the two-level disease is dealt with by a hybrid procedure, in which one disc is replaced and another fused. (iii) has failed conservative therapy.
Regarding movement, your doctor will likely provide you with the following comments: Start walking as soon as possible after your surgery. Walking prevents blood clots and increases muscle strength. Avoid heavy lifting for two to four weeks after surgery or as approved by your doctor.
Problems related to the ADR procedure or artificial disc:
Implant migration (i.e., the device slips from its original position) Spinal stenosis (i.e., narrowing of the space in the spinal canal) Problems caused by a poorly positioned implant. Pain or symptoms do not respond to surgery.
Is a microdiscectomy painful? Following surgery, most patients do well with a small amount of non-opioid pain medication and a drug that relaxes the muscles. While there is some discomfort associated with the surgical incision, many patients experience rapid relief of the pain caused by the herniated disc.
If back or neck pain caused by degenerative disc disease doesn't respond to medication or therapeutic injections, NYU Langone doctors may recommend a surgical procedure. Surgeons may remove some or all of a damaged disc, take pressure off a pinched nerve, or eliminate movement between the bones of the spine.
Artificial disc replacement is a surgical alternative to fusion. It involves removing the damaged disc and replacing it with an artificial implant. The concept of disc replacement has been around since the 1950s, when methacrylate cement was placed into an intervertebral disc space, says Dr. Zigler.
Disc replacement is considered major surgery and is done in a medical facility. It is a type of joint replacement procedure. Your doctor will review what you need to do before the surgery, which may include reviewing your current medications to ensure they will not interact with the procedure.
That's because the artificial disc is installed in a way to prevent it from slipping out of place. The mechanical disc design can feature ridges in the top or bottom of the disc that when tapped into place, it stays in place.
There is usually some pain and discomfort in the days and weeks following cervical artificial disc replacement (ADR) surgery. Most commonly, the recovering patient has some pain and soreness at the incision site at the front of the neck. Other symptoms may also be present, such as trouble with swallowing or speaking.
Spinal fusion is the riskiest type of surgery for back pain and the most expensive orthopaedic procedure performed in Australia. Depending on your health insurance arrangements, the total cost of the surgery can be around A$58,000 and out-of-pocket costs might be close to A$10,000.
While any surgery carries some risk, disk replacement surgery is a relatively safe procedure. Before you have surgery, you will need to sign a consent form that explains the risks and benefits of the surgery.