There are four principal types of back surgery laminectomy, discectomy, spinal fusion, and artificial disc replacement. Recovery times from these procedures vary because each one affects your body in different ways. It also depends greatly on the scope of the surgery to repair the damage of degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or other disorders of the spine.

Sometimes when there is massive damage or failure of one or more spinal discs, a surgeon will recommend major surgery. In more cases, surgeons see artificial disc replacement surgery (or total disc replacement) as the best solution for most patients. The goal here is to replace the failed spinal discs with an artificial one that’s made from metal with a semiflexible biopolymer that imitates the pliability of a natural disc.

Artificial disc replacement surgery is a relatively new procedure that was introduced into the United States in 2000 and has since received FDA approval based on numerous favorable clinical trials. The big difference is that postoperatively, patients report full restoration of their range of motion and flexibility. More important, while artificial disc replacement surgery may take up to 6 hours, many patients are in full recovery in 6 – 8 weeks, depending on the extent of the surgery and the physical condition of the patient before the surgery.

Dr. Lanman is a boardcertified neurosurgery specialist practicing medicine for 25 years with a private practice in Beverly Hills, CA. He specializes in the treatment of spinal disorders and is a leading clinical advocate for artificial disc replacement surgery. He is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, and a member of the CedarsSinai Institute of Spinal Disorders.

He has published more than ten peerreviewed articles, as well as book chapters on topics relating to neurological surgery, and has presented more than two dozen papers at national and regional medical society meetings. He has been tapped by colleagues to be the principal medical investigator on a broad swath of clinical trials for motion preserving surgeries and artificial disc replacement devices, most recently the Prestige LP and M6, with the former recently receiving FDA premarket approval in 2016 with his continuous support and advocacy.

He graduated from Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL with top honors and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed a general surgery internship and neurological surgery residency at UCLA. He is an active member of many professional societies and organizations including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), North American Spine Society (NASS), and Fellow American College of Surgeons. Dr. Lanman is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS).

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CREDITS

Editing: Ray Wyman http://www.raywyman.com
Management: Brandi Kamenar https://www.brandikamenar.com/