Spinal Disc Replacement: Los Angeles Spine Surgeon Shares 3 Things To Know

“Spinal disc replacement, when appropriate for the patient can relieve pain and preserve range of motion without the need for a spinal fusion,” says spine surgeon Rad Payman, MD who recently appeared in a live interview on Fox Morning News to show how spinal disc replacement is done.

• “Much like knee replacement or hip replacement surgery we now have a disc replacement for the spine,” says Dr. Payman. “Spinal discs can be damaged through injury or degenerative disease; later in life a disc can be completely gone which can cause the vertebrae to collapse directly onto each other. In the past, the only course of treatment for people with certain back or neck injuries has been a spinal fusion  which is done to stabilize the spine.”

• While appropriate in many cases spinal fusion does have some disadvantages including a variable loss of range of movement, and the possiblility of recurring pain. "While spinal disc replacement is not appropriate for everyone, patients who can benefit from this technology can see excellent results. We can not only reduce or eliminate the pain but also preserve range of motion which can significantly improve a person’s quality of life as they are able to return to all or most of their normal activities after the procedure,” says Dr. Payman.

• “With spinal disc replacement there is no spinal fusion required. During disc replacement surgery the damaged disc is removed, the disc height is restored and an implant that allows the potential for motion is inserted into the disc space. The surgeon is not removing any bone; in fact, we’re actually restoring the patient's anatomy by replacing a diseased or damaged disc in the neck or lower back. This allows the patient to move, hopefully in a normal, pain-free way.”

For more information contact Advanced Spine Institute at 818.501.2001 and visit www.TheSpineMD.com