Artificial lumbar discs

[Alex3]

Has anyone had an artificial lumbar disc operation, and if so are you pleased with the results ?

[DENZ01]

Hello Alex

Hope that you are well.

I have had an artificial disc in my lumbar spine, within three weeks it had failed, the disc had collapsed. I shoulda also add that I was born with Spina bifida & have quite a lot going on in my spine (8 major surgeries) .

The thing is, I almost knew that the disc would fail, it didn't feel like the right thing to be doing for myself. I still have the collapsed artificial disc in my spine, but I have now got a total spinal fusion (from lumbar to cervical, ribs removed & thoracic bones removed).

Could I ask why you are asking this question please?

Hope to hear from you.

Kind regards ✨️

Karen

[Alex3 in reply to DENZ01]

Hello Karen,

Many thanks for your reply. Your condition makes mine seem insignificant, I can only hope that things improve for you.

The reason for my enquiry is that I am looking into having an artificial disc at L5 / S1 as the disc there is almost worn out and the vertebrae are beginning to fuse. I suffer from sciatica and low back pain and hope that a new disc might improve matters. Apparently an artificial disc can be inserted on a 'day case' basis at the Harley st. Hospital. As yet I have not had a consultation as it all seems rather scary. Hence my asking for info.

Kind regards

Alex

[DENZ01 in reply to Alex3]

Hello Alex

Your problem is not insignificant at all, there is nothing worse (well there is, but you know what I mean) than spinal pain, sciatica and everything that goes with it.

The actual artificial disc operation is relatively easy, I was rather surprised myself.

I recommend that you go for the consultation, go through your worries with the surgeon and I am sure that they will re-assure you, probably explain properly how they do the surgery and put you more at ease. I am being totally honest when I tell you that the post=surgery pain is not as bad as you're imaging 😀. People hear 'spinal surgery' and it's like the 'worse thing, nobody should have spinal surgery. avoid at all costs', but it is not as dreadful/end of the world as people exaggerate.

Please go for the consultation at least, make sure you are comfortable with the surgeon, ask as many question's as you feel you need to, then you can make your mind up from there.

If you ever need to have a chat, please feel free to message me & I will try my best to help in any way I can 😀.

I hope to hear from you again, post-op, feeling great & dancing around 🙃🙃.

Good luck & best wishes

Karen x

[psytrancer]

Hi Alex, I had two artificial lumber discs put in to replace discs that had degenerated to point of falling apart. These were helped with titanium bars & screws to hold everything together. I had complete relief of my symptoms, sciatic pain & bowel & bladder issues immediately after surgery. Scan at one year post op showed the artificial discs had fused to the vertebrae above & below them. That was four years ago & im pleased to say that everything has been fine since. I did expect to have diminished movement in lower back but that hasn’t happened. For me disc replacement was a success & well worth having done. Hope this helps in some small way

[Alex3 in reply to psytrancer]

Many thanks for your reply. This sounds quite reasurring, especially as I have some of the symptoms you had before your op.