Woman has high-tech artificial disc replacement to relieve back pain without spinal fusion.

Dec. 10, 2010 - PRLog -- Angelina Beach, 36, just wants the pain to stop. She’s hurt her back twice lifting objects at her job. The first injury occurred a few years ago; as she lifted a heavy stack of dishes she felt a sharp pain in her lower back, accompanied by a loud popping sound. Her second back injury, also suffered while lifting objects at work was especially painful. Angelina now had 2 herniated discs in her lumbar spine (described in medical terms as a level 2 injury, meaning 2 discs are affected), and she has been in pain ever since.

Angelina did have one surgical procedure a few years ago to attempt to fix her problem; a discectomy to remove the damaged portions of her discs to relieve pain which seemed to help for a while but the pain came back and actually got much worse over time. Her doctor explained that arthritis had also formed in the damaged areas, adding to her discomfort and loss of full mobility. Angelina will have a total disc replacement using a new type of artificial disc that may help avoid the need for spinal fusion.

Nearly 80% of Americans will suffer from back pain during their lifetime.   Most commonly, back pain is caused by muscle strain, but it can also be attributed to a variety of traumatic and degenerative conditions, including:

Spinal stenosis
Osteoarthritis
Bone fractures
Osteomyelitis
Spondylolisthesis
Degenerative disc disease (DDD)

For most, back pain is only a temporary problem that can be alleviated with conservative (non-surgical) treatment such as rest, medication, physical therapy, spinal injections and the use of orthotics.  Patients suffering from chronic back pain that does not improve with conservative (non-surgical) treatment may require surgery.

Angelina sought the help of Dr. Kenneth Light, a San Francisco spine surgeon known for his expertise in helping people with difficult cases or who have had prior unsuccessful surgeries. In the past, the only course of treatment for people like Angelina has been a spinal fusion procedure which is done to stabilize the spine and to prevent further damage to the injured area. However, spinal fusion has several disadvantages including a variable loss of range of movement in the treated areas and, in many cases, recurring pain and further damage to the spine.

After examination, Dr. Light suggested that Angelina consider another approach - total disc replacement using a device called the “ProDisc-L Implant”. Says Dr. Light, “Artificial disc replacement is an attempt to fix complicated back problems without resorting to a spinal fusion.”  The implant has been designed to maintain the physiological range of motion in the spine An added benefit is shortened recovery time for most patients. “I believe that artificial disc replacement will eventually replace 70% to 80% of all spinal fusion surgeries," says Dr. Light Most patients experience little downtime after the procedure and can often return to most regular activities in a matter of days.

With the introduction of total disc replacement (TDR) surgery, surgeons can offer their patients an alternative to spinal fusion surgery for the treatment of degenerative disc disease (DDD) in the lumbar spine, or the treatment of symptomatic cervical disc disease (SCDD) in the cervical spine. The TDR procedure is intended to relieve pain and preserve motion in the spine. During both TDR surgery and spinal fusion surgery, the pain-generating disc is removed and the disc height is restored. During a fusion surgery, the spinal segment is stabilized with an implant and plate and/or rods and screws. Bone graft may be used to promote osseous fusion of the vertebrae.  Conversely, during a TDR surgery, an implant that allows the potential for motion is inserted into the disc space.

Angelina soon learned another fact; that workman’s comp insurance companies often won’t cover a level 1 artificial disc replacement procedure, and will almost never cover a 2-level procedure, although a 2-level procedure is what most people need. “That’s a real problem”, says Dr. Light, “since most patients who come to me have a 2 - level injury. That means that there are many people out there who are not covered to have the best standard of care for their injuries. Patients will have to be the main advocates with their insurance companies to change this policy”, says Dr. Light. In Angelina’s case, it took 2 arbitration sessions to finally gain approval to have her procedure covered.

The ProDisc-L Total Disc Replacement has been determined to be safe and effective in the treatment of degenerative disc disease (DDD) Disc Replacement surgery is intended to:
>Remove the diseased disc
>Restore disc normal height
>Reduce discogenic pain
>Provide the potential to preserve motion in the affected vertebral segment .
For more information visit http://www.drkennethlight.com or call 415.673.4500

Media inquiries: Gary Grasso, Doctor's P.R. 626.222.7955    http://www.doctorspr.com