Picture this: instead of permanently fusing two vertebrae
together, your spine surgeon can perform a procedure that allows you to
maintain natural movement and flexibility. This is the idea behind motion
preservation in spine surgery.
Dr. Christopher Blanchard, an experienced spine surgeon at
Resurgens Orthopaedics who specializes in advanced motion preservation
techniques, shares his insights on the goals and benefits of these
life-changing procedures. "Motion preservation in regard to spine surgery,
is being able to perform the correct surgery for the pathology without fusing
the spine and limiting motion."
The primary way this is accomplished is through total disc
replacement, where a damaged disc is swapped out for an artificial implant
designed to mimic a healthy disc's natural movement.
Goals of Motion Preservation Surgery
The main goal of motion preservation is to address the
underlying spinal issue - whether that's a compressed nerve, degenerative disc,
or chronic pain - while preserving your range of motion. This is quite
different from spinal fusion, which aims to stabilize the spine by permanently
connecting vertebrae.
In Dr. Blanchard's words, "Motion preservation surgery accomplishes
the same goals of traditional surgery, but in a manner that doesn't limit range
of motion of the spine or add stress to the adjacent segments." Some key
goals include:
- Relieving radiating pain without restricting spinal flexibility
- Replacing a damaged disc to alleviate back pain while maintaining normal spinal mechanics
- Reducing stress on nearby vertebral levels to prevent accelerated degeneration
- Allowing a faster return to normal activities compared to fusion procedures
Benefits of Motion Preservation
The major upside of motion preservation techniques is their
ability to treat spinal conditions without compromising your range of motion
and flexibility. This can lead to some significant advantages:
Quicker Recovery: Patients undergoing disc
replacement procedures typically have shorter hospital stays and can resume
their regular activities within 4-6 weeks, as opposed to the longer recovery
times associated with fusion. As Dr. Blanchard notes, "I would say typical
recovery time and return to normal activity is approximately six weeks.
Patients commonly report that their radiating pain in significantly improved or
completely resolved immediatly after surgery."
Reduced Stress on Adjacent Segments: "One of the
biggest benefits for disc replacement compared to spinal fusion is that there's
less stress placed on the adjacent levels," Dr. Blanchard explains.
When doctors fuse
two discs together, it places additional stress on the discs above and below,
which can cause them to wear out faster. But disc replacement works
differently. It keeps your spine moving naturally, which helps protect the
other discs from wearing out too quickly.
Return to Active Lifestyle: Many motion preservation
patients, especially younger and more active individuals, are able to get back
to their normal physical activities and hobbies after recovering. As Dr.
Blanchard shares, "I've had people return to tennis, Jiu Jitsu, playing
with their kids and their family and even physically demanding jobs such as
active-duty law enforcement."
Improved Outcomes: The FDA first approved artificial
discs in the early 2000s. Since then, some studies
that compare total disc replacement to spinal fusion 5 years post-surgery, are
finding that total disc replacement is leading to better outcomes. While we don't have the same amount of
long-term data compared to spinal fusion, Dr. Blanchard notes, "We have some
good 20-year data on disc replacement that shows an overall very high
survivorship and patient satisfaction."
Candidate Selection for Motion Preservation
Not every patient
is an ideal candidate for motion preservation. Surgeons consider factors like:
·
Number of spinal levels affected: Motion preservation is generally limited to single- or two-level
procedures, rather than multi-level fusions. As Dr. Blanchard states, "If
someone has a 3 or more level disease, they most likely will not be a candidate
for a disc replacement."
·
Degree of spinal degeneration: The key factor is the height of the patient's disc and how much
degeneration it has, rather than just their age. As Dr. Blanchard explains,
"If somebody has tall disk space and less degeneration, they make better
candidates than somebody with severe degeneration." Younger patients tend
to have healthier spines, but it's not an absolute requirement.
By carefully
selecting the right candidates based on the health of their spine, spine
surgeons can maximize the advantages of motion preservation and help patients
reclaim the active lifestyles they enjoyed before their spinal issues.
Schedule a Consultation
If you're
struggling with a spine-related condition and are interested in exploring
motion preservation as an option, Dr. Blanchard and the team at Resurgens
Orthopaedics would be happy to meet with you. Contact us today to schedule a
consultation.