What is Disc Replacement Surgery?

Disc replacement surgery is the most innovative and modern treatment that is now available. In this surgery, the disc (which is a soft material between two vertebrae) is removed and the space is packed with bone graft. In due course of time, the bone creates a solid bony bridge across the two vertebrae. By doing away with movement, previously painful segment is made pain free.

Types of Disc Replacement Surgery

There are many artificial disc designs classified into two general types:

• Total disc replacement – As the name implies, with a total disc replacement, all or most of the disc tissue is removed and a replacement device is implanted into the space between the vertebrae.
• Disc nucleus replacement – With a disc nucleus replacement, only the center of the disc (the nucleus) is removed and replaced with an implant. The outer part of the disc (the annulus) is not removed.