Symptomatic degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine occurs when the intervertebral discs supporting the vertebrae lose their elasticity. This can cause partial disc prolapse, which may be associated with chronic lower back and radicular pain. Conservative treatments include analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy. Epidural steroid injections can also be used.
Interventions for people with chronic intractable pain or neurological complications include removal of the protruding disc (discectomy) and/or spinal fusion. Artificial intervertebral discs are mobile implants that are inserted between the vertebrae. They are designed to resolve symptoms associated with disc degeneration and to reduce disc degeneration between adjacent lumbar vertebrae. With the patient under general anesthesia, the intervertebral space is accessed through an abdominal…
