Treatment
Options

What are the Options for Treating Spinal Conditions?

Your doctor will likely first use treatment options such as physical therapy, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications. For the vast majority of patients, pain will subside over time using these types of conservative methods.

Additional forms of treatment may become necessary—such as injections and nerve root blocks. If found effective, these treatments can be performed several times by a pain management physician or physiatrist. These injections work by decreasing inflammation and, ultimately, the pain from irritated nerves.

If conservative forms of treatment fail to relieve your symptoms, then surgery may be presented as an option.


Are There Different
Surgical Options?

What is Disc Replacement?

Total disc replacement (TDR) may be a solution for some patients with degenerative disc disease as an alternative to spinal fusion. Early research into artificial disc replacement began in the 1960s. Interest was renewed in the 1990s because of the complications sometimes caused by spinal fusion. Since then, research and design efforts on total disc replacement have increased significantly.

During disc replacement surgery, the doctor removes your damaged disc and replaces it with an artificial disc. The goals of total disc replacement surgery are to maintain segmental spinal motion, relieve pain and increase activity, restore disc height and proper spine curvature and reduce post-operative recuperation time.


What are my Disc Replacement Options?

Disc replacement surgery is performed by a spine surgeon in either the cervical or neck region of the spine, or in the lumbar or lower back region. The surgical approach for the neck and lower back is though the front, referred to as an anterior approach. Disc replacement surgery starts with surgical access to the spine, followed by removal of the diseased disc. Once the disc has been removed, a disc prosthesis is implanted.

A disc replacement device consist of 2 metallic components that interface with the vertebrae. These two components sandwich a polyethelene or plastic-bearing material. Total disc replacement allows for motion of the spine which accommodates the body's natural biomechanics to adjust to the patient's physiological movement. The clinical trials on disc replacement proved the effectiveness of this option—specifically a reduction in pain and improvement in a patient's quality of life. Disc replacement is not for everyone. Please consult your physician to find out if this procedure is right for you.

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What is Spinal Fusion?

The goal of surgical treatment is to relieve your symptoms. In order to achieve that goal, fusion of the spine is necessary in order to eliminate the movement within the spinal column responsible for neck, arm, back, or leg pain and weakness.

Spinal fusion involves stopping all motion at the diseased segment by removing the spinal disc and inserting a device to allow bone growth or fusion between two vertebral bodies—essentially making two vertebral bodies into one.


What are my Spinal Fusion Options?

Spine surgery can be performed utilizing an anterior (front), approach through an incision in your abdomen or neck. A lateral (side) approach uses an incision in your side. A posterior (back) approach may also be used thorough an incision in your back or the back of your neck. There are several advantages to using an anterior approach, including: less muscle disruption, greater anterior column support (80% of the load on your spine goes through the anterior column), and the ability to place a larger implant to better fusion. During spinal fusion surgery, the diseased spinal disc is removed.

An interbody device is inserted in the spine to replace the diseased disc. Sometimes, the surgeon may also insert a metal plate that bridges the adjacent vertebral bodies to stabilize the spine.

Alternatively, your surgeon may use an "integrated interbody" device—a single device that replaces the diseased disc. The integrated device is then secured with three specially-designed screws.

For more information about No-Profile, Integrated Interbody devices, click the button below.


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STALIF Success Stories: Renee

Renee was suffering from debilitating back pain, with no hope in sight. But discovering STALIF® transformed her life.

Watch Renee's Story

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Definitions

Learn the meaning of terms like “degenerative”, “fusion”, or “interbody” from the About the Spine glossary.


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Questions?

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