Disc Replacement Specialist

What is disc replacement?

Disc replacement is a surgery Dr. Amin performs if he has to remove a disc from your spine.

Discs are round, shock-absorbent pads that sit between your spine’s vertebrae (bones). They have a soft center surrounded by a tough shell. Sometimes discs herniate. The jellylike material in the disc pushes through a weak spot or tear in the outer shell and presses on the spinal nerves.

Herniated discs can cause spinal stenosis and severe, long-term neck pain. You could also develop pain radiating into the arm or hand. This may cause weakness. Disc replacement surgery relieves these symptoms.

When might I need disc replacement surgery?

If you have a herniated disc, surgery is unlikely to be the first treatment you receive. Dr. Amin has excellent success using nonsurgical treatments, including:

• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Rest and activity changes
• Physical therapy
• Muscle relaxant medication
• Steroid (anti-inflammatory) injections
• Nerve block (local anesthetic) injections

Surgery is the next step if none of these treatments relieves your herniated disc symptoms. One operation is discectomy and fusion. Dr. Amin removes the damaged discs and implants a piece of bone (graft) and plate with screws. The graft connects the vertebrae on either side of the gap. Over time, new bone grows over the graft, fusing the vertebrae.

Discectomy and fusion relieves pain and stabilizes your spine. It’s a very effective treatment, though you lose some of your spine’s flexibility.  Artificial disc replacement overcomes this problem, but it’s not suitable for all patients. Dr. Amin will recommend the procedure that’s most likely to work for you.

What does disc replacement surgery involve?

Dr. Amin uses minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) techniques where possible when performing disc replacement surgery. He makes an incision in your neck in order to access the cervical spine. Next, he takes out the damaged disc, cleans and prepares the space, and then inserts the artificial disc.

You can have artificial disc replacement in your neck (cervical spine). After the surgery, you should experience a significant reduction in pain and improved movement. The artificial disc mimics the function of your natural disc, giving you more unrestricted motion than you’d have after spinal fusion.

Call Beejal Y. Amin MD today or book an appointment online to learn if you could benefit from disc replacement surgery.