A directory of spine topics covered in the Labette Health patient education materials.
Anatomy of the spine: The spine is made of 33 individual bony vertebrae stacked one on top of the other. This spinal column provides the main support for your body, allowing you to stand upright, bend, and twist, while protecting the spinal cord from injury. Strong bones and muscles, flexible tendons and ligaments, and sensitive nerves ensure a healthy spine.
Adjacent segment disease is a condition that sometimes occurs after a spinal fusion surgery. Fusion joins or “locks” two or more bones together, stopping the natural motion at that level. While the goal is to relieve painful motion, fusion causes the adjacent discs to work harder. Similar to a domino effect, degenerative changes can develop on the discs and joints above or below the previous surgery site.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the throat area to reach and remove the disc. A graft is inserted to fuse together the bones above and below the disc. ACDF may be an option if physical therapy or medications fail to relieve your neck or arm pain caused by pinched nerves.
Artificial disc surgery replaces a worn-out disc in the spine with a device that moves like a natural disc. The device is made of metal plates with a ceramic or polymer core that flexes or glides. It's an alternative to spinal fusion, which stops all motion at the disc. The benefit of an artificial disc is less stress on adjacent discs compared to fusion. But it is not for those with facet joint arthritis or weak bones.
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion is a surgery to treat disc problems in the low back. Fusion locks together two or more bones to stop painful motion and correct their alignment. Through an incision in the front of the belly, the disc is removed. A bone graft is placed in the empty space to restore the height and relieve nerve pinching. During healing, the bones fuse into one solid piece.