Quality of life regained thanks to intervertebral disc prosthesis

A disc prosthesis maintains freedom of movement and enables a pain-free life

Pain in the lumbar or cervical vertebrae can have very different causes. It is often muscular tension that leads to the symptoms. The spine impresses with its amazing stability and mobility. Nevertheless, with age, signs of wear and tear can occur on the bone tissue, which causes permanent pain. An artificial intervertebral disc relieves and stabilizes the spine and enables a pain-free life.

An artificial disc reduces the pressure on the vertebral body

The human spine is exposed to great stress when walking or sitting. The intervertebral discs cushion the pressure like small shock absorbers and are also responsible for the fact that the spine adapts to the posture by bending or bending. Those affected feel pain in the back or neck when the intervertebral disc presses on the nerve tracts that run along the spine. Manual therapies such as physiotherapy or heat treatment promise a remedy. Painkillers prevent patients from adopting a relieving posture that leads to further cramping of muscles and ligaments.

When is a disc prosthesis useful?

A herniated disc can cause permanent pain, numbness in the limbs and even paralysis. If painkillers and manual therapy do not lead to the desired relief, the only option is often an operation on the intervertebral disc. A stiffening of the affected vertebrae means that the patient's mobility is restricted. An artificial intervertebral disc cushions the pressure on the joints of the vertebrae and thus enables natural movement.

What exactly is a disc prosthesis?

A prosthetic disc is an artificial disc that is placed between two cervical vertebrae during disc surgery. The prosthesis is fixed between the cervical vertebrae by two titanium plates and thus takes over the natural function of the defective intervertebral disc. Patients are not restricted in their natural movements by the intervertebral disc prosthesis. The procedure prevents overloading of the adjacent vertebral sections.

In rare cases, the insertion of an artificial intervertebral disc is not possible with a severely altered spine. This can be the case, for example, with osteoporosis or a tumor. Relief of the affected vertebrae by means of a cage - a placeholder - can be used here. This consists of a plastic that is well tolerated by the body. The implant enables relief of the degenerated vertebral joints.

How is an intervertebral disc operation performed?

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. Patients can usually get up two hours after the procedure. In order for the artificial disc to connect well with the existing tissue, the patient must wear a neck brace for six weeks. The subsequent physiotherapy helps the patient to get used to the natural movement sequences again.

Apex-Spine Special Clinic - the right choice

The top priority of the Apex-Spine Special Clinic is to give the patient the greatest possible freedom of movement. The specialists always decide on a procedure that causes the least stress for the patient. Nuclear spin tomography and magnetic resonance tomography - MRT - enable a precise diagnosis, which serves as the basis for a later intervertebral disc operation. The interventions are performed using a minimally invasive method. The specialist clinic can look back on more than 10,000 successful procedures. The experience of the specialists and the use of the latest technology enable a promising therapy in which the focus is on the patient.