If I need a disc replacement, how does my doctor decide if I'm a candidate for the surgery?
Many people may need disc replacement surgery, but only certain people may be chosen to have it. This is because doctors already have a good idea who will not benefit from the surgery and they don't want to put people at unnecessary risk.
Patients with bones that have begun to thin or soften from osteoporosis or some other bone disorder aren't usually good candidates for disc replacement. If your bones aren't strong enough to anchor the disc, it won't work properly. If you have a disorder called spondylolisthesis, a condition where some bones may slip, causing pressure on the nerves, you also are not a good candidate for disc replacement.
Other problems can interfere with you having surgery, such as infections, morbid obesity or other illnesses. Some may delay the possibility of surgery and some may rule it out completely.
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