Charite™ Artificial Disc, First Artificial Disc Available in U.S., Reduces Back Pain, Restores Function, Keeps Motion
EVANSVILLE - Deaconess Hospital and Neurosurgical Consultants have begun offering a revolutionary new treatment for chronic low back pain - the Charite™ Artificial Disk. The new artificial disk is an alternative to spinal fusion surgery, a common treatment for chronic low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease. Spinal fusion joins vertebrae together using bone grafts so that motion no longer occurs between them. While most patients report relief from pain after spinal fusion surgery, the surgery often reduces their flexibility and range of motion.
Instead of fusion, Dr. Jose M. Arias and Dr. David M. Eggers of Neurosurgical Consultants have begun performing a procedure at Deaconess Hospital in which they remove the damaged disc and replaced it with the new Charite™ Artificial Disc, a high-tech device made of two metallic endplates and a movable high-density plastic center.
In clinical trials comparing artificial disc replacement to spinal fusion surgery, patients who received the artificial disc maintained or improved their range of motion and experienced a reduction in pain. There was no significant difference in the risk of complications between the two procedures.
“This is an exciting new procedure for those who suffer from degenerative disc disease,” said Dr. Arias. “Our goal is to have patients recover as much of their former lifestyle and activity as possible, and this new technology will help allow that.”
“We’ve already treated patients with the new disc,” Dr. Eggers said, “and the results have been outstanding. It gives patients back things that most people take for granted, like carrying groceries or working in the garden.”
The Charite™ Artificial Disc was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making it the first artificial disc on the U.S. market. While artificial replacements are commonly used in hips and knees, this is the first FDA approval of such a device for spinal discs.
Artificial disc replacement is not for everyone. Only women younger than age 50 and men younger than age 60 are eligible. Patients must be diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and must have been treated with more conservative measures without success for at least six months. As with any major surgery, there are possible complications that can occur. Patients should ask their doctor if artificial disc replacement is appropriate for them.
About 65 million Americans suffer from low back pain every year, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Americans spend about $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and lost workdays. More than 12 million people are reported to have degenerative disc disease.
Dr. Jose M. Arias has years of training and experience in surgery and neurosurgery, having worked in hospitals in Miami, Florida; London, England; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has also authored or co-authored an extensive list of books, abstracts and journal articles on topics related to neurology or neurosurgery.
Dr. David Eggers earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville and completed post-graduate training in Lexington, Kentucky; London, England; and San Francisco, California. He is an associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Kentucky and is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons.
Evansville, Indiana
