Dr. Mudit Sharma, MD, FAANS, FACS, MD, FAANS, FACS Performs First Artificial Disc Replacement of its Kind

As a top spine surgeon in Northern Virginia, Dr. Sharma has the opportunity to perform a number of challenging surgeries each year that benefit his patients by reducing their back pain and enhancing their quality of life.

While all of his surgeries are important and rewarding to perform, Dr. Sharma recently had an especially noteworthy experience with a patient who needed an artificial disc replacement. This patient was experiencing chronic neck and arm pain, so Dr. Sharma performed the artificial disc replacement procedure using a disc that is the first of its kind in the United States to be cleared for more than one level disc replacement.

Artificial disc replacement is replacing spinal fusion surgery to solve painful neck, back and arm pain. It involves replacing the painful disc with an artificial one so that pain is relieved without compromising the spine’s natural anatomical structure.

This surgery may be performed on the lumbar spine (lower back) or the cervical spine (neck). The artificial discs are structured similarly to the damaged discs and share similar functions such as absorbing shock in the back or neck.

A select handful of artificial discs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Not only is Dr. Sharma excited to have been the first spine surgeon to use one of the approved discs, but he is also very pleased to have been able to help his patient live without chronic back pain.

Image courtesy of Spine Universe