Welcome
Total Disc Replacement
New Procedure Allows Patients to Return to Activity Faster with More Mobility
Total disc replacement, or the implantation of artificial spinal discs, is a relatively new treatment for low back pain, and represents a revolution in spine surgery. In total disc replacement, a damaged or worn-out spinal disc is surgically removed and replaced with an artificial one. While artificial devices are very common in hip and knee replacement surgeries, such devices were not viable for spine surgery until 2004.
Spine surgery commonly eliminates pain by reducing motion and flexibility. Lumbar fusion surgery, a common procedure for low back pain or degenerative disease, fuses adjacent spinal discs together in a procedure that frequently reduces back pain, but also reduces the flexibility and motion of the spine and sometimes may transfer additional stress to discs above and below the fused discs. Total disc replacement gives some patients a surgical option that allows them to maintain more flexibility and function, reduce pain, and even recover faster.
The CHARITÉ™ Artificial Disc, manufactured by DePuy Spine, Inc. (a Johnson & Johnson company) is the first device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for total disc replacement. The high-tech device is constructed of two metallic endplates sandwiched around a flexible high-density plastic center. Once implanted, the artificial disc helps to align the spine, but preserves the spine's ability to bend and twist.
Dr. Kitchel participated in the ground-breaking clinical study evaluating the ProDisc® artificial disc and is one of the few orthopedic surgeons in the region who has been trained and is currently performing total disc replacement procedures using the approved CHARITÉ™ device. As with any major surgery, total disc replacement is not appropriate for everyone and there are possible complications. To evaluate your candidacy for total disc replacement, call Orthopedic Spine Associates at (541) 393-0100 to schedule an appointment.
For more information on total disc replacement and the CHARITÉ™ Artificial Disc, please visit www.charitedisc.com.