Lumbar Disc Replacement

A lumbar disc replacement is a more recent surgical procedure for treating a bulging disc or a herniated disc of the spine. Although there has been a lot of discussion about this procedure in the media recently, it is not a surgery to be taken lightly.

In fact, the success of this procedure has not been as positive as originally hoped. Now, this isn’t to say that the procedure will not be perfected over time – after all, there was once a time where knee surgery was not a good option for many, but the success of this procedure has dramatically improved over time.

The concept behind lumbar disc replacement surgery is that the disc can be replaced by an artificial disc that acts similar to the real thing. The problem with this idea is that the disc is a very complicated structure. It moves very differently than other joints of the body, so it’s hard to create an artificial disc that can replicate all of the movements that are possible with a real disc.

Currently, this procedure is primarily performed in teaching hospitals, where most of the research is being done. Most doctors still choose to either remove the injured disc completely and fuse the bones above and below the disc, or remove the part of the disc that is bulging against the nerve.

According to the medical journal Spine, the success rate of this type of surgery is only about 16%. This is why the majority of doctors do not recommend surgery unless it is a last resort.

If you would like more information about a lumbar disc replacement, or would like to learn about all of your options available for healing a bulging disc or a herniated disc, please click here.

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