Lumbar disc replacement is a treatment option for people who have a painful lumbar disc, this means if your back pain originates from just a disc or two discs levels in your lower spine. It involves removing a damaged disc and replacing it with an artificial metal disc.
Difference Between Lumbar Disc Replacement and Spinal Fusion:
Unlike fusion surgery, where two spines are fused to take away the motion between the segment permanently, with a lumbar disk replacement, the damaged spinal disc is removed, and the motion between the remaining disk segment is maintained.
Maintaining motion between a segment of the spine gives a lumbar disc replacement surgery an advantage over spinal fusion. Since there is no motion with spinal fusion, the chances of wear and tear of the disc level above and below the removed disc highly likely compared to lumbar disc replacement. Due to the motion, as the patient ages, the next disc level above and below will not take on much pressure, preventing any wear and tear or adjacent segment degeneration.
An Overview Of Lumbar Disc Replacement Process:
While a lumbar disc replacement may have numerous advantages over a spinal fusion, it isn’t done often due to how complex and challenging the surgery is.
The surgery involves the surgeon making an incision about 2 or 3 inches from your belly button and straight between your abdominal muscles. Depending on which disc level is to be replaced, the surgery may take two turns. If the damaged disc is the L5S1 spine, the surgeon will go between the two iliac vessels and veins. However, if it involves the L4-L5 and L3-L4 levels, the surgeon will have to find their way through the aorta and vena cava vessels.
Generally, the process of lumbar disc replacement involves working through a lot of delicate veins, requiring a surgeon with the right expertise, and this is why a lot of surgeons perform a fusion surgery instead of a lumbar disc replacement.
After the surgery is performed, it will normally take a period of 7 to 9 weeks for one to recover. However, there are cases where people recovered in 6 weeks before returning to their normal activities.
How Long Does The Artificial Disc Last?
As stated earlier, a lumbar disc replacement involves replacing a damaged disc with a metal or a plastic and metal disc. Well, most artificial discs are made of titanium body with a polyethylene core, and they can last for a lifetime of 70 to 80 years before it starts to wear out.
