Decades ago, if you were dealing with a moderate to severe spinal disc issue, a surgeon would address the disc and fuse the adjacent spinal vertebrae together. This process would help to provide pain relief by greatly limiting movement at the site of the damaged disc, but it wasn’t a perfect solution. Nowadays, the most common way to treat this type of disc issue is with an artificial disc replacement procedure. Below, we take a closer look at the benefits of artificial cervical disc replacement compared to a fusion procedure.
Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement Benefits
Instead of removing the damaged disc and limiting movement in the area by fusing the nearby vertebrae together, surgeons can now simply replace the degenerative disc with an artificial disc that mimics the function of a healthy disc. This is preferred for a number of reasons, including:
- More Flexibility – With a fusion, symptoms are controlled by limiting movement at a specific area of the spine. You are essentially giving up flexibility in hopes of reducing pain and discomfort. With an artificial disc procedure, the new disc mimics the actions of a healthy spinal disc, which means you’ll be able to bend and move that area of your neck much more easily.
- Reduced Risk Of Adjacent Disc Problems – While a fusion procedure helps to protect a specific portion of your spine, it does so by shifting this stress onto the adjacent vertebrae nearest the fusion. These discs now have to handle more stress as a result of the limited mobility of the vertebrae above or below them, which means these discs now have an increased degeneration risk, which could lead to the need for another surgery down the road. Since mobility and flexibility is maintained with disc replacement, the adjacent discs don’t need to handle this extra strain.
- Quicker Recovery – Artificial disc replacement tends to lead to faster recovery times than a more invasive fusion procedure, allowing patients to deal with less discomfort and get back to the activities they enjoy sooner.
- No Need For Bone Grafts – A traditional spinal fusion procedure typically involves the insertion of a bone graft to help fuel the bone fusion. Grafts are very safe, but they also carry some risks. Artificial disc replacement does not require the insertion of a bone graft.
Artificial disc replacement has become the standard technique for addressing spinal discs in the right patient, but not everyone is an ideal candidate. Depending on the circumstances, a spinal fusion procedure may be the best option. For patients with multiple degenerative discs, those with painful arthritic degeneration or for patients over the age of 55, fusion may end up being the optimal route. Your neck specialist can walk you through your options and help you figure out which procedure is right for your specific needs.
For more information about artificial cervical disc replacement or why someone would consider having a disc replaced, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
