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You should give us more info on your situation. Spinal fusion is a drastic surgery of last-resort, and can sometimes provide short-term relief, only to put pressure on the other discs later, leading to more problems and sometimes additional fusions. I have severe DDD and have had a diskectomy, which did not help at all. The ortho surgeon said a spinal fusion would be the next step; however, now I'm really leery about it. However, I have a young cousin who had some kind of back issue that necessitated a spinal fusion, so I guess in some instances they can't be avoided. Anyway, if you could provide more information on your condition and what you've tried so far, it would help.
Has anyone had the newer disc replacement surgery? I've heard it's minimally invasive. They make a small incision in front (I think around the naval) and then somehow reach around to the spine and replace the discs.
I've heard this is much better than the old method of fusing the discs. I remember hearing some horror stories and some success stories in regard to disc fusion, but haven't heard much about the disc replacement. I would really like to know if anyone has had experience with this and if it was successful.
Has anyone had the newer disc replacement surgery? I've heard it's minimally invasive. They make a small incision in front (I think around the naval) and then somehow reach around to the spine and replace the discs.
I've heard this is much better than the old method of fusing the discs. I remember hearing some horror stories and some success stories in regard to disc fusion, but haven't heard much about the disc replacement. I would really like to know if anyone has had experience with this and if it was successful.
I am acquainted with a local woman who had this done. However, it was done through the back with a tiny scar. She had two discs replaced. I see her at the local gym (not weight-lifting, of course) and have talked with her. She is very, very happy with the results, is pain-free and enjoys all her former pursuits. She is in her sixties, I would say. Her verdict: "I have my life back."
I was told I was not a candidate for artificial disc replacement because all of my discs are degenerated to some degree or other. The surgeon said the FDA had only approved replacement of one or two discs (can't remember), so the rest of the discs have to be strong enough to support the artificial disk(s). Basically, he was telling me there was nothing I could do except pain management. That was five years ago; perhaps there have been medical advances since then. If I ever have the energy, I'll go see another doctor to check it out. It's so depressing to know that they can replace hips, livers, knees, hearts, and so many other things, but not spines!
I was told I was not a candidate for artificial disc replacement because all of my discs are degenerated to some degree or other. The surgeon said the FDA had only approved replacement of one or two discs (can't remember), so the rest of the discs have to be strong enough to support the artificial disk(s).
My recollection (which may not be spot-on) is that in the U.S. two is the limit. However, I know that three are done in Europe and elsewhere, but I do not know if more have ever been tried. Yes, the problem is that correcting one area does depend upon the rest of the spine being in good enough shape to deal with it. I seem to have been lucky that even in the days when mine were done with hammers and saws, the adjacent areas were adequate to the task....now, though, three decades later the DDD has caught up with me again.
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Basically, he was telling me there was nothing I could do except pain management. That was five years ago; perhaps there have been medical advances since then.
My gripe with pain management in the U.S., and I have not been treated there in about eleven years - so this is based on old experience - is that non-narcotic painkillers available then were totally ineffective, and the narcotic ones left me hardly able to concentrate on reading or even TV, and I sometimes found my judgement crossing the street was dangerously fuzzy. But perhaps there are more powerful non-narcotic painkillers available there now. I would certainly be interested in knowing.
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If I ever have the energy, I'll go see another doctor to check it out. It's so depressing to know that they can replace hips, livers, knees, hearts, and so many other things, but not spines!
You have my sympathy. Degenerative disc disease runs in my father's family, and I have been one of the lucky heirs.
I have many degenerated and extruded discs that have never been touched, and may well never need to be. If there is no serious impingement on nerves or the sac that contains the spinal cord the problems they cause are relatively minor. And for most people it is a low-level problem.
Leaving aside surgery done to correct damage to my cervical spine in an accident, the other four operations were all done many decades ago and they have held up extremely well....and so have I! I had a life. Now at age 73 I have serious back and leg pain (not sciatica) and walk with a "drunken", lurching gait. A new MRI, the first in a decade, shows that there is much more degeneration everywhere, most of it having no negative impact....but in one area the extruded disc is impacting the sac and resting on some nerves.
Anti-inflammatories have proved ineffective in alleviating either the pain or walking difficulties. There is a non-narcotic pain-killer (which doesn't fog your thinking up) which is used here in Europe, but not in the U.S. It works quite well - for which I am grateful, when I decide I must use it - but it cannot be taken on a as-long-as-you-live basis.
Bottom line, I am going to see a spine surgeon in another country who enjoys a good reputation, and with whom I have been in contact. He and his colleagues were early into micro surgery for spines, and the use of artificial discs, and the movement away from massively invasive techniques. I am going in two weeks, and if I feel there is anything of interest as a result of the visit I will post it in this thread.
Spines are an area that would benefit from stem cell research. But that is such a religious taboo in the U.S.
Yes, avoid surgery under most circumstances. Even when the X-ray comes up mostly white, that's tissue damage, and guess what? Tissue dies off and new tissue can replace it if you are careful about what you include on your daily menu. Go to a heavy anti-oxidant based diet. Include Superfoods like: The Konared Coffee Cherry or the Brazilian Acai Berry, they are on top of the ORAC Charts and both great against inflamation. I know it can be hard, but "movement" is also important. Actively stretch, look into Pilates, but make certain the instructor is professional. Your doctor can prescribe Pilates by the way.
My father was stubbornly looking for the quick fix of surgery. Two months later his back is drastically improved. You can contact me for his exact diet. Be careful, be patient, and definitely take your time before you go with any surgical procedure. Remember, American doctors are the best with "Reactive" or "Emergency" procedures, but where Health & Wellness is concerned, they are far behind the curve. In-fact, most AMA Certified Doctors take only one or two classes on nutrition and wellness.
Facebook: -Peter Dean Bouloukos-
Take care!
Peter
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Disc replacement for DDD?
