There is a growing consensus that lumbar total disc replacement is a viable option for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disc disease, according to a study published in The Spine Journal.
Five study details:
1. To determine risk factors for reoperation, researchers examined 1,368 patients who underwent lumbar disc replacement at short-, mid- and long-term follow-up.
2. Patients who underwent primary and revision lumbar fusion and revision disc replacement were excluded from the study.
3. Reoperation occurred in 8.8 percent of patients by two years, 15.8 percent by five years and 19.5 percent by 10 years.
4. Patients with diabetes were more likely to have revision surgery. At 14.2 percent, lumbar fusion was the most common reoperation.
5. Teaching hospitals had a lower reoperation rate than non-teaching hospitals at two-year, five-year and 10-year follow-up.
Click here for more details on the study.