I Have Osteoporosis: Is Kyphoplasty Right for Me?
Osteoporosis puts millions of Americans at higher risk of breaking a bone, especially spinal fractures. Read on to learn about kyphoplasty as an option to treat this painful injury.
What Does a Total Disc Nucleus Replacement Involve?
Treatment for back pain isn’t one-size-fits-all. Many people find relief using home remedies like heat, ice, and stretching. Others benefit from medications, physical therapy, and minimally invasive procedures.
In the most serious cases, surgery may be necessary. Fortunately, innovations like total disc nucleus replacement can be a game-changer, relieving pain while retaining range of motion.
At Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center, with locations in Western Pennsylvania and South Florida, Dr. Jocelyn Idema and our experienced team provide comprehensive, personalized care for spine and orthopedic issues.
While we strive for nonsurgical or minimally invasive interventions, patients should feel secure in the effectiveness of options such as artificial disc replacement if surgery is necessary.
Importance of the spine
The spine or backbone performs multiple jobs, including giving the body shape, supporting posture, and protecting the nerves in the spinal cord.
It also connects the bones and muscles that allow us to be active, from basic movements like sitting, standing, and walking to more advanced actions such as twisting and bending.
Anatomy
The spine runs from the base of the skull to the tailbone and consists of bones and soft tissues.
The spinal cord comprises 31 pairs of nerves extending to other parts of the body to transport messages between the brain and muscles. It’s protected from injury by 33 small bones (vertebrae) that form the spinal canal.
Between the stacked vertebrae are discs that serve as shock absorbers for the spine. They’re round and flat with a flexible outer ring and a soft, gel-like center.
Disc problems
With such a complex piece of anatomy, it's no wonder back problems affect about 620 million people around the world. Treatments vary by cause, severity, and an individual's response to care, with some people ultimately needing surgery to find pain relief.
Traditionally, that’s meant spinal fusion, joining several vertebrae using a bone graft or artificial material instead of the usual spinal disc. This procedure can stabilize the spine and reduce pain but at the expense of movement.
However, for some people, there might be another way.
Total disc nucleus replacement
Thanks to medical advancements, another option is artificial disc replacement, an FDA-approved surgery that preserves range of motion. Instead of fusing vertebrae, we surgically implant a new artificial disc to replace the damaged one.
The artificial disc is made up of metal, plastic, or a combination of both and uses a mechanical device to perform the same spinal rotation our bodies do naturally.
Discs consist of inner (nucleus) and outer (annulus) sections, and the surgery involves accessing the spine to reach the problematic area. In a total artificial disc replacement, we replace the entire disc with a new artificial disc.
Disc nucleus replacement surgery only swaps out the soft nucleus.
If you're suffering from back pain, and home remedies and minimally invasive treatments haven’t brought relief, we can help. We can determine if artificial disc replacement surgery or another treatment option is right for you.
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