UA Surgeons Implant Artificial
Discs in Spine of Tucson Airman at UMC,
A First in Southern Arizona
March 21, 2006
From: Katie Riley
(520) 626-4828
For the first time in Southern Arizona, surgeons at
University Medical Center
successfully implanted two artificial spinal discs in the back of a 31-year-old
Robert Dzioba, MD,
an associate professor in the Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery in the UA
College of Medicine, led the surgical team that performed the
operation on Feb. 17 at UMC.
Hard physical training in the military caused Brian Bosse, a master sergeant at
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, to develop three lower-back disc herniations in
2004. He underwent physical therapy, chiropractic care, three epidural steroid
injections, two facet block injection and finally an Intradiscal Electrothermal
Annuloplasty (IDET), an outpatient procedure in which a heating wire is used
cauterize nerve endings in the disc. But after a few months of relief from the
IDET, the pain returned.
"I was running out of options, but really didn't want to
go with a spinal fusion - that seemed so drastic, so I began to research
alternative solutions on my own," Mr. Bosse said.
Spinal fusion surgery is 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
robs them of flexibility and range of motion.
"After researching what I could do, I concluded that the
artificial disc replacement surgery could be a logical solution to cure my
problem. I just had to find a highly skilled doctor in the
The UA orthopaedic surgeon recognized that Mr. Bosse was
the perfect candidate for this device, which has been widely used in Europe
since 1987 but only recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration
for use in the
"The artificial disc is for people in the early stages
of degenerative disc disease looking at an alternative to spinal fusion," said
Dr. Dzioba, who has himself performed hundreds of spinal fusions over the years.
"This prosthesis is not for people who already have serious arthritis or
osteoporosis. It won't work on the back from hell."
During Mr. Bosse's surgery, vascular surgeon John Hughes, MD, made an incision through
the lower abdomen and carefully moved aside blood vessels and internal organs so
Dr. Dzioba could operate on the spine. J.
"Dr. John Hughes did a fabulous job," said Dr Dzioba.
"He gave me exactly the right access to the spine. The device has to be
perfectly placed or it will spit out like a watermelon seed under pressure. When
we got the artificial discs in there, it was a magical moment, a home run. It
was one of those times in the OR when you think, 'Wow, this is really
cool.'''
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The CHARITÉTM Artificial Disc -- "a
cute-looking gizmo" says Dr. Dzioba -- is made of metal and a moveable
high-density plastic center that, once implanted, is designed to help
align the spine and preserve its ability to move. It's manufactured by
DePuy Spine Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, out of materials
similar to those used successfully for several decades in artificial hip
and knee replacements. For further details, visit www.charitedisc.com. |
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In clinical trials comparing artificial disc replacement
to spinal fusion surgery, artificial disc patients maintained or improved their
range of motion and experienced less pain. There were no significant differences
in complications.
Mr. Bosse spent five days recovering from surgery at UMC
and continues to recuperate at home. He hopes to be back on the job by April.
"The pain is slowly tapering off...it's still early, but
I feel pretty good," Mr. Bosse said. "The pain level is more tolerable than
before the surgery. I am very grateful to both Dr. Dzioba and Dr. Hughes and
their teams of professionals for performing this surgery. They all did a great
job."
"Post-operative pain takes a while to diminish, but in
total disc replacement there is less direct disruption to tissues, so we are
optimistic that Brian's recovery will be uneventful," Dr. Dzioba said. "This
procedure is a wonderful opportunity for the right patient to maintain motion in
the spine."
Degenerative disc disease is a common form of lower back
pain affecting 10 to 12 million people. It is caused by aging or may result form
a back injury or strain. The discs work as shock absorbers to cushion the
vertebrae during movement.
Assignment
editors please note: B-roll and interviews with patient and surgeons are
available by calling the AHSC Office of Public Affairs, (520) 626-4828.
To view a slide
show on how the CHARITÉTM Artificial Disc Procedure works, please
link to: http://www.charitedisc.com/charitedev/domestic/patients/about_worldfirst.asp
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sguthrie@email.arizona.edu
To read about the
expansion of the UA College of Medicine in Phoenix go to http://www.phoenix.medicine.arizona.edu/About/News/Campus/