Article: Biosciences.(award-winning innovations)(Brief Article)

Prosthetic Relieves Back Pain

Back pain affects more than 10 million people annually and is the leading cause of doctor visits in the US. One condition in particular, degenerative disc disease (DDD), is a cause of lower back pain that is especially difficult to treat. Soft tissue discs between vertebrae normally provide strength and flexibility to the spine, but their centers become more fibrous in DDD patients. A simple discectomy can treat the pain, but it does not maintain or restore disc height. A spinal fusion could also treat the pain, but the patient loses structural integrity and range of motion. Total disc replacement treats pain and retains range of ...

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