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(412) 661-5500 Ext. 2703 | Ross Township, Shadyside

Artificial Cervical Disc

Artificial Discs:

An artificial cervical disc is a device inserted between two vertebrae in the neck to replace a damaged disc. It is best used for patients who are suffering from a herniated disc without much narrowing of the spine.



Unlike a rigid neck fusion, which locks your neck in a fixed position, the implant is designed to allow you to move your neck more naturally. The components glide smoothly against each other. With the implant, you can turn your head and bend your neck forward, backward and side to side, just as you would with an undamaged disc.

 

When is Replacing Better Than Fixing:

 



Cervical disc replacement surgery is now about 15 years old. I’ve been performing cervical artificial disc replacement for the last 10 years. It is a motion preservation strategy, not a motion restoration strategy like artificial hips and artificial knees. It is ideal for the patient who has a simple herniated disc without much in the way of degenerative change or narrowing of the spinal canal. It is not a procedure for the patient who has a lot of age-related change and diminished range of motion of the neck. I routinely perform this procedure as an outpatient.

 

Recovery

We normally do this procedure as an outpatient. This means no overnight stay in the hospital, decreased risk of infection due to a hospital stay, and the benefit of starting to return to normal activities within hours of this minimally invasive surgery. You can set an appointment to consult with Dr. Bookwalter through the form below:

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  • Artificial Disc Replacement

    Artificial Disc Replacement

    An artificial cervical disc is a device inserted between two vertebrae in the neck to replace a damaged disc. It is best used for patients who are suffering from a herniated disc without much narrowing of the spine.

    Learn how you can begin to recover from an artificial disk replacement in less than 4 hours with Dr. Bookwalter.

    Read more

  • Cervical Fusion

    Cervical Fusion

    Though motion preservation is very important, there are times when cervical fusion is appropriate. One example is a during Laminectomy which removes a section of bone from the rear of one or more vertebrae to relieve the painful and disabling pressure of stenosis.

    Read more

  • Lumbar Microdiscectomy

    Lumbar Microdiscectomy

    A herniated disc is a common injury that can affect any part of the spine. A herniated disc can cause severe pain and other problems in the arms or legs.

    Discectomy is surgery to remove lumbar (low back) herniated disc material that is pressing on a nerve root or the spinal cord . It tends to be done as microdiscectomy, which uses a special microscope to view the disc and nerves.

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  • Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression

    Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression

    Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the open spaces within your spine. To the right you can see a healthy spine with lots of room for the spinal cord. When that room is filled in by calcium buildup and other factors the space around the spinal cord begins to close up. The buildup begins to put pressure on your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine to your arms and legs. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Pain, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, and problems with normal bladder or bowel function are all signs of Spinal Stenosis.

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  • Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy

    Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy

    This surgery removes bone and/or portions of a herniated or diseased disc to relieve neck and radiating arm pain caused by parts of the disc pressing on nerve roots.

    I am unique in using the lateral position for these procedures. This allows accurate localization and diminished soft tissue dissection. Generally this helps reduce the amount of postoperative discomfort patients experience.

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