- Locations in Clifton, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
When you need a spine disc replacement in New Jersey, contact the medical office of Dr. Grigory Goldberg. Shorten your travel time by contacting one of our various locations.
Accidents and aging wear down your body, especially on the cervical spine and the discs between your vertebrae. In some cases, these occasions can lead to deteriorating discs, which can cause severe and chronic pain.
We offer solutions at the office of Dr. Grigory Goldberg, an expert in endoscopic minimally invasive spine surgery and other spine treatments. After an evaluation, we can determine if a spine disc replacement would be a good option for you.
Back pain stands as one of the most common medical ailments in modern times. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, we can expect 70 to 80% of all people to experience lower back pain. Furthermore, a study in Oxford’s Occupational Medicine journal indicates that one-tenth of men and one-fifth of women experience thoracic spine pain.
Regardless of these numbers, all back pain does not necessitate surgery. The ones that do tend to fit into a few specific categories, such as:
Your spine has rubbery cushions called discs that help connect the bones, absorb shock, and assist with mobility. As you age, these discs wear down naturally, often causing a reduced range of motion. In these cases, surgery isn’t always necessary, but we can suggest it depending on the amount of pain you experience.
More commonly, degenerative disc diseases and accident-related injuries damage the spine. The damage often appears as degradation or herniations (ruptures) in the shape of this body part. These changes pressurize the spinal nerves and sometimes even the spinal cord, which can affect other parts of the body.
Sometimes, due to stress injury, or a physical disorder, the bone will produce growths called spurs. The unnecessary bone growth often causes pain, usually through putting pressure on nerves or reducing available disc space. You see bone spurs often occur with conditions like osteoarthritis or in injured areas that healed over improperly.
As a note, degenerative disc disease covers any damage to the spinal discs. The diagnosis comes from the fact the disc is causing pain rather than a specific illness or disorder. Even if the disc damage occurred due to an accident, a doctor may diagnose you as having degenerative disc disease.
Because this term functions as a catch-all for disc damage, the symptoms may vary depending on the person and injury location. For example, someone with lumbar or lower back issues may feel tingling or numbness in their legs. Someone with cervical disc damage may feel neck and shoulder pain or a tingling feeling in their arms.
The amount of pain varies per person as well. In some cases, it causes mild pain, but in others, it can be physically debilitating.
We often try to retain as much of the natural body as possible for the sake of your adaptability. However, depending on the severity of the disc condition or spinal issue, we may suggest a spine disc replacement instead.
Disc replacement surgery takes the damaged disc out and puts a mechanical one in its place. The device should move with the spine and function the same way the natural disc did before the degeneration.
Artificial discs have shown increasing amounts of approval and success. A lumbar surgery study reported in a 2017 edition of the Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine reported an 87.5% clinical success rate. About 75% of them could return to work after the recovery period, a higher rating than after spinal fusion surgery.
All disc replacement surgeries in New Jersey require a hospital stay and ample time for rehabilitation. However, the surgery has become minimally invasive with time, so you generally don’t need to worry about big wounds.
During the procedure, you would be under general anesthesia. The surgeon would make a small incision above the space with the damaged cervical disc and remove its parts. Once removed, the surgeon replaces it with the mechanical one.
We close the incision with absorbable stitches that do not require future removal. Then, we cover the site of the incision to prevent agitation. For cervical surgeries, we may place you in a neck collar to restrict movement for the initial recovery process.
Of course, the procedure may differ depending on your medical needs. We discuss the details thoroughly and ensure your approval before we start any surgical planning.
Dr. Grigory Goldberg has a treatment philosophy that focuses on patient care and recovery. When you trust us with your health, we do our best to provide top-quality orthopedic care that exceeds expectations.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and personal injury protection (PIP). Contact the office closest to you to discuss your spine disc replacement options in New Jersey. Same-day appointments may be available.
If you suffer from degenerative disc disease, back pain becomes chronic and can keep you from doing the things you love. Undergoing an artificial disc replacement surgery can alleviate the symptoms and preserve your spinal function, but is it the right treatment for you? Make your decision based on the information below and consult with Dr. Grigory Goldberg, a trusted spine specialist in New Jersey, to discuss your options.
If you find yourself debating the pros and cons of a total disc replacement surgery, think about what living with this condition means. StatPearls data shows that 90% of herniated disc patients have the rupture occur in their lumbar spine. If you’re a part of this majority, a lumbar disc replacement can save you from ongoing lower back pain and weakness in your lower extremities, both of which may keep you from living an independent life.
Doctors diagnose 266 million people worldwide with degenerative lumbar spine disease every year, according to the Global Spine Journal. Living with the disease increases the risk of physical disability, which impacts a patient’s quality of life. Getting a disc replacement removes the deteriorated disc from the spine so patients no longer experience pain due to herniation or other forms of damage.
The benefits of this surgery make it a worthy option for anyone with degenerative disc disease, and medical professionals continue to make improvements. Total disc replacement surgery first received FDA approval in 2007, but experts continue to research ways to increase successful patient outcomes. For example, an artificial disc for the cervical spine that was approved in 2021 saw 86.7% of patients report pain relief and restored spinal function during a clinical trial.
We understand that you might prefer conservative treatment methods over surgery. However, the artificial discs can put an end to your neck or back pain and improve your quality of life. How can you decide if it’s the right option for you?
Contact our medical team to set up an appointment, and Dr. Goldberg will review the following factors with you. Each of the issues below typically determines whether someone is a suitable candidate for surgery.
If a doctor has yet to tell you that you have degenerative disc disease, don’t jump to conclusions and think surgery is the only option. Your first step will be to see a qualified physician who can diagnose your condition. Issues like a herniated disc don’t typically require surgery and will heal with conservative treatments like physical therapy.
Continue to seek medical treatment if the symptoms don’t subside. Doctors will explore surgery if your condition does not heal after six months of non-invasive treatments, per UCSF Health. If your doctor diagnoses you with degenerative disc disease, they will also consider disc replacement surgery depending on other factors.
A patient’s age plays a key role in their decision to undergo spinal surgery. According to a study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, 94% of patients over the age of 60 reported satisfaction with their artificial disc surgery two years after the procedure. While the surgery can be successful in patients of this age group with adequate bone quality, doctors usually recommend it for those between the ages of 18 and 60.
Patients who have a fairly stable spine with only one impacted disc can typically undergo artificial disc surgery. However, this procedure isn’t the best treatment option if your spine has several compromised discs that cause significant instability.
Finally, doctors need to consider your overall health before they recommend disc replacement surgery. Obesity impacts the success of the surgery, so your physician may recommend getting to a healthy weight before going under the knife. Smokers with degenerative disc disease should quit the habit before they receive surgical treatment as well since doctors advise against smoking in their pre-operative instructions.
Other risk factors aren’t as easy to address and require your doctor to advise an alternative treatment plan. Chronic health conditions that make someone unsuitable for surgery include:
If you plan to undergo spinal surgery, you need to consider the post-operative instructions and recovery period. Make sure you can arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital after your procedure and modify your activity level to facilitate your recovery. Doctors will review everything you can expect during the recovery time and any rehabilitation programs you must complete to regain strength in your spine.
Turn to Dr. Grigory Goldberg if you suffer from degenerative disc disease and want a long-term solution. His practice caters to patients with spinal injuries and conditions that impact their quality of life.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available. To book an appointment, submit our online contact form or call any of our six office locations in New Jersey.
Are you still curious about what this surgery entails and if you’re a suitable candidate? Get answers to some common questions below.
While the back is a sensitive spot, the neck is even more so. The difference in location means that we look out for different body conditions and features to ensure your safety. As such, medical procedures have adapted cervical disc replacements to be less invasive than lumbar or thoracic spine surgeries.
As with any surgery, you risk reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, and infection. Due to the location of the surgery, you may also risk spinal fluid leakage, voice changes, or difficulty swallowing or breathing. Because of the severity of the surgery, our office puts as much emphasis on careful practice and expertise as possible.
You can usually expect a full recovery around 6 to 12 weeks. It helps to incrementally practice physical therapy maneuvers to get your body used to the new disc.
Complications are possible, including infection at the incision site, blood clots, or reactions to the anesthesia or artificial disc.
Yes, once you fully recover from the procedure, you can return to your previous active lifestyle without neck or back pain.
No, doctors place patients under general anesthesia, so they won’t feel any pain during the procedure. They may experience some discomfort during the recovery period as the incision site heals and the artificial disc conforms to the spine.
Receive superior treatment for degenerative disc disease and other spinal disorders by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Grigory Goldberg.
