Total disc replacement (TDR) may be a solution for some people with degenerative disc disease as an alternative to spinal fusion. Early research into artificial disc replacement began in the 1960s. Interest was renewed in the 1990s because of the complications sometimes caused by spinal fusion. Since then, research and design efforts on total disc replacement have increased significantly.

During disc replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged disc and replaces it with an artificial disc. The goals of total disc replacement surgery are to:

• Maintain segmental spinal motion
• Relieve pain and increase activity
• Restore disc height and proper spine curvature
• Reduce post-operative recuperation time
• Reduce risk of bone graft donor site pain and pseudarthrosis (sewd- arth-row-sis), which is improper movement of a joint after healing.

One of the artificial discs with the longest clinical history is the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc. It is the first FDA approved artificial disc on the market. It has been approved for use in patients that have one diseased disc in the lumbar area of the spine.

What Are the Potential Benefits and Risks of Disc Replacement Surgery?

There are potential benefits and risks of disc replacement surgery with the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc as an alternative to spinal fusion surgery.

Potential Benefits

Most importantly, when fusion surgery is performed, although your pain symptoms may go away, the vertebrae surrounding the disc space are immobilized and therefore typically limit flexibility in that area of the spine. Laboratory testing shows that the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc design allows your spine to move. In the clinical study, patients were observed to have motion between 0 and 21 degrees while bending forward and backward.

Another benefit to disc replacement surgery with the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc is that no bone graft is required. Often times with spinal fusion surgery, the bone graft used to pack the disc space is bone that the surgeon has to remove from the patient's hip. This means that the patient ends up having two incisions that must heal, as well as pain in the back and hip during recovery from the surgery.

Potential Risks

As with any surgery, there are some possible complications that can occur when you have disc replacement surgery with the CHARITÉ® Artificial Disc. Complications can occur singly or in combination and may include:

• allergic reaction to the implant materials
• bladder problems
• bleeding, which may require a blood transfusion
• death
• implants that bend, break, loosen or move
• infection
• pain or discomfort
• paralysis
• side effects from anesthesia
• slow movement of the intestines
• spinal cord or nerve damage
• spinal fluid leakage
• the need for additional surgery
• tears of the dura (a layer of tissue covering the spinal cord)
• problems with your blood vessels other than bleeding
• incision problems