How long does an artificial disc replacement last?

The average age of a patient needing a lumbar disc replacement is about 35 years. This means that to avoid the need for revision surgery, the artificial disc must last at least 50 years.

What is pro disc surgery?

The prodisc® L is surgically implanted into the lumbar spine (L3-S1) in patients with degenerative disc disease in one or two consecutive intervertebral level(s). The device is intended to help restore the natural distance between two vertebrae and the natural motion of the lumbar spine.

What is pro disc made of?

The prodisc C implant is composed of three components – two cobalt chrome alloy (CoCrMo) endplates and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) inlay and is inserted into the vertebral bodies en-bloc. The prodisc implant is a ball and socket design with a fixed center of rotation.

Is Disc Replacement FDA-approved?

Overview and Indications Currently, the artificial disc replacement is only FDA-approved in the United States for use in the lumbar (low back) region, although many products are currently being studied for use in the cervical (neck) region.

Which artificial disc is best?

We prefer to use the MOBI-C Disc because it is the only artificial disc in the United States approved for up to two levels. These artificial discs mimic the function of the spine’s natural disc and maintain its natural movement. Traditional cervical fusion technique fuses the discs in the neck together.

Do artificial discs wear out?

Over time, artificial discs may wear from the continued motion of the cervical spine. Wearing may result in the formation of wear debris—metallic or polyethylene particles that are generated over and dissipated into the body.

How is artificial disc replacement done?

Most artificial disk replacement surgeries take 2 to 3 hours. Your surgical team will approach your lower back from the front through an incision in your abdomen. With this approach, the organs and blood vessels must be moved to the side. This allows your surgeon to access your spine without moving the nerves.

How does an artificial disc stay in place?

Most surgeons insert some form of bone into the space to fuse the vertebrae (bone) above and below the empty disc space. This often works very well in the short-term and can be done in many different ways that may include instrumentation such as cages, plates, and screws. Eventually the fusion becomes solid.

Can you lift weights after disc replacement?

Activity precautions. No matter what type of surgery a person has, most experts recommend avoiding lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs. for at least 4-6 weeks. Lifting more than this can put undue pressure on the spine and interfere with recovery.

What is the best artificial disc replacement?

With over 200 peer-reviewed studies, ProDisc-L is the best-known and longest studied ADR. It is also the only lumbar disc that has begun the process of studying its performance at multiple levels through an FDA IDE study.

How do artificial discs stay in place?

The two outer titanium plates have fixation keels that anchor the artificial disc into the vertebral bone and are coated with a titanium plasma spray to help promote integration with bone. The sheath surrounds the artificial nucleus and artificial annulus, presumably to keep out bone and other debris.

Is artificial disc replacement safe?

While artificial discs appear safe when used in experienced hands, they are not for everyone. Patients with multi-level lumbar pathology are less likely to benefit than patients with one-level of lumbar disc degeneration.

How can artificial disc replacement surgery help me?

– Treatment – Non-Surgical Treatments. Non-surgical treatment options for discogenic back pain include medications to relieve pain, physical therapy (including traction therapy), spinal injections, bracing, alternative therapies (such as acupuncture) and lifestyle modifications. – Surgical Treatments.

What are the risks of disc replacement?

Infection of the artificial disk or the area around it

What is the recovery time for disc replacement?

– Try to be active during recovery from artificial disc replacement. – Restrict activity for the first month after surgery and implement a walking and stretching program. – Return to your normal activities six to eight weeks after surgery, unless your physician advises you differently.

What is the difference between spinal fusion and disc replacement?

The risks involved with both are quite similar. The main difference between the two is that, with a spinal fusion, the bones sometimes take a long time to fuse together. A disc replacement, meanwhile, can unfortunately wear out or fail as the movement occurs. Otherwise, there are what we call approach-related considerations.