Thoracic Spine Surgery
What is Disc Replacement Surgery?
Disc replacement is a motion preserving alternative to fusion and is one of the latest innovations in spine surgery. It leads to faster recovery, while maintaining motion of the spine.
Conditions we treat
Adjacent Segment Disease
A simple analogy for adjacent segment disease is the following: if you have a car with four tires, and you take away one tire, the remaining three tires will have to work harder and will therefore wear out faster.
Based on the science, about 1 out of 4 people (25%) of people will need additional surgery within 10 years following a spinal fusion at the spine level above or below.
Because disc replacement surgery allows for continued motion of the spine (versus fusion) it reduces the risk of adjacent segment disease.
Neck or back pain
Stenosis
Sciatica
Treatments we provide
Cervical Disc Replacement
Disc replacement can be performed in the neck as an alternative to fusion. Because it preserves the normal motion of the spine and doesn't take as long to heal (when compared to a fusion), benefits of disc replacement include:
- More natural movement
- Less pain
- Quicker recovery
- Less risk of adjacent segment disease
Lumbar Disc Replacement
Similarly in the low back, disc replacement can be considered as an alternative to fusion. Benefits are similar:
- More natural movement
- Less pain
- Quicker recovery
- Less risk of adjacent segment disease
A word from Dr. Chung
Having trained at one of the leading institutions for disc replacement surgery in the nation, Dr. Chung is highly trained in disc replacement surgery. Let's talk and see if you would be a candidate for this cutting-edge, non-fusion technology.
