Total Disc Replacement

Total Disc Replacement

The discs that cushion the bones in the spine are subjected to a lot of wear and tear, even during routine activities. Eventually, these discs can become damaged or suffer from degenerative diseases, causing pain, lack of mobility, and other health issues.

While knee and hip replacements have been common since the early 1960s, only recently has it become possible to replace discs with artificial ones. One of the roadblocks to success was finding a material that was safe, reliable, and long-lasting, while being able to mirror the amazing range of motion required by a disc in the spine.

As a leader in spine care, Florida Hospital Celebration Health Spine Center is one of only a handful of centers in the U.S. performing total disc replacements. Our team of experts is pioneering artificial disc replacement (also know as total disc replacement and spine arthoplasty).

What is the procedure for artificial disc replacement?

Unlike spinal fusion, which previously was the primary method for repairing disc damage, artificial disc replacement is a reversible alternative that avoids a lot of the drawbacks of spinal fusion. Artificial disc replacement preserves motion, keeps stress along the spine in balance, and restores your height.

Though the materials used in the artificial disc are leading-edge, the actual procedure closely resembles traditional disc surgery. Surgeons at the Spine Center will start by removing the damaged gelatinous disc and replace it with an artificial one. The entire procedure is fairly routine and extremely safe, especially since it is simply an evolution of a decades-old surgery.

The surgical team at the Florida Hospital Celebration Health Spine Center is at the very forefront of this new technique and fully understands the unique challenges and benefits of artificial disc replacement surgery.

Am I a candidate for artificial disc replacement?

The best candidates for this procedure are adults who have a one level symptomatic degenerative disc. If the patient has bone strength issues or a degenerative disorder, artificial disc replacement may not be effective.

The spine experts at the Florida Hospital Celebration Health Spine Center will be happy to discuss this procedure with you and assess whether artificial disc replacement is an option for you. The overriding goal of the center is to provide you with a solution that alleviates your pain and restores mobility as much as possible so you can enjoy a healthy, normal, and active life.