NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2000 |
CONTACT: |
Sharon Sopp
410-337-1536
|
Disc Replacement Study Holds Hope for Back Pain
Towson, MD -- A new disc replacement technique that could bring relief for
thousands of back pain patients is being studied by surgeons at St. Joseph
Medical Center. For thousands of back pain sufferers, it is an injured disc
in their lower spine that causes the discomfort. Although these
problems are
often treated through physical therapy and medication, surgery is indicated
for about 10% of these patients.
Until now, that surgery meant one of two options: removing the disc from
the spinal column and fusing two vertebrate together with rods and pins or
removing the disc, placing a cage-like device in its place, infusing the
surrounding bones with the device. Either way, although the pain is often
lessened, that particular part of the patient's spine becomes immobile.
Enter the newest hope: Disc Replacement Surgery. In this procedure, the
patient's injured disc is removed and an artificial disc is implanted. The
artificial disc operates in a similar manner to the patient's own disc
and is
like the artificial knees or hips patients receive in joint replacement
surgery. The hope of the newest technique is that patients would be able to
experience "normal" movement following surgery. Not only will the patient
maintain the mobility of the vertebrae, but also the strain and damage which
fusion causes on the adjacent discs hopefully will be eliminated.
Although the disc replacement technique has been successfully performed
on nearly 2,000 European patients, clinical trials on the device have just
begun in the United States. Paul McAfee, M.D., and Ira Fedder, M.D.,
members
of Orthopedic Associates and Co-Directors of the Spine and Scoliosis Center
at St. Joseph Medical Center, worked with general surgeons to perform only
the third such disc replacement in the country at St. Joseph on March 24.
The doctors were chosen to participate in this groundbreaking study because
of their reputation for research excellence. More than 500 patients will be
enrolled in the randomized study over five years.
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