Artificial Disc Replacement

A lot of individuals suffer from chronic back pain. Some of these individuals try various forms of treatment for their back pain, but many of these methods are either temporary, or cause damage to a different part of the back. When other treatments fail to alleviate back pain, it may be a good time to look into artificial disc replacement.

Artificial disc replacement is a surgical procedure where the old damaged disk (located in the spinal column) is replaced by a new artificial disc. Most of the discs used in artificial disc replacement have two metal plates with teeth that serve to anchor the implant between the vertebrae. There is a rubber core made of polyethylene to allow for movement. Artificial disc replacement disks usually come with a metal ring outside the core so that it can be picked up by x-ray.

Artificial disc replacement procedures are still considered experimental by the Food and Drug Administration. Most of the research being done on artificial disk replacement is conducted in Europe. Different models for artificial disc replacement have been tested but only one model is widely used.

There are a few factors to keep in mind when contemplating artificial disc replacement. One factor is that in order to avoid the complications of artificial disc replacement, one should consult a professional surgeon. Surgeons carefully select patients for artificial disc replacement who are usually adults and have a one level degenerative disc. Some other things that are taken into consideration are age, bone strength, and other types of bone disorders. Those who suffer from these conditions are typically not considered optimal patients for the surgery.

Artificial disc replacement is still in its experimental stages, but is still a viable option for those plagued by back pain to live normal lives.