Tiger Woods’ Success Story – Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery
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Plano Tiger Woods Surgery Clinic is honored to tell you about the AlIF surgery which the famous golfer Tiger Woods underwent in 2017.
Three years ago, Tiger announced that he had undergone a back operation to relieve his back spasms and sciatic pain in the leg.
Due to this, he had not played any major tournaments for almost two years. According to Tiger, severe pain didn’t allow him to sit long enough.
Tiger Woods recently said that the aim of anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery was to get back to his normal life and compete in golf tournaments.
In 2019, Tiger Woods finally managed to participate in the Masters tournament. He won it – and this was a dream come true for his fans who had previously lost hope to see their favorite golfer in action again.
Dr. Richard Guyer performed the surgery at the Texas Back Institute. This was an ALIF surgery – a minimally invasive technique that fused with the Tiger’s L5 and S1 vertebrae.
The surgeon used high-grade medical plastic or titanium, which was injected with bone cells or synthetic protein. The procedure relieved the debilitating pain from the degenerative disc in his lower back.
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
The Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, also known as ALIF, is surgery of the spine or a method in which the surgeon approaches from the anterior side to the spine instead of the posterior part of the body.
Simply put, the surgeons of the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas perform this procedure through the abdominal area with the help of vascular surgeons who help to move the major blood vessels to the abdomen side.
Next, the surgeons remove the disc and relieve the pressure on the nerves. This involves the surgeon to place a large cage in the space. Then, they insert the screws through a plate or cage and then into the spinal bones. The screws or rods provide extra stability.
ALIF can treat:
Health professionals at The Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas use the ALIF surgery technique for a wide range of health conditions such as spondylolisthesis, painful disc generation, spinal imbalance or deformity, and instability in the spinal area.
Benefits of ALIF Over Other Surgeries
If you are wondering about the benefits of ALIF over other surgery methods or types of lumbar fusion, then let us tell you that ALIF is a well-tolerated surgery procedure and allows for less pain and speedy recovery than other types of spinal fusion surgeries that are usually performed from the posterior of the spine.
ALIF is a minimally invasive surgery method that allows for placing a large cage compared to other types of spinal fusion surgeries. As a result, this provides more and more stability as well as higher chances of fusion the two or more vertebrae solidly.
So much so, ALIF offers a better correction of spine area imbalance and deformity. Research studies show that ALIF is associated with better and improved long-term outcomes in terms of reduced pain, quick recovery, and quality of life.
Downsides of ALIF Procedure
In general, there are no downsides or disadvantages of the ALIF procedure. However, some patients might not be suitable for this type of surgery. For instance, patients who had undergone abdominal surgeries previously, those who are obese or have unsuitable vascular anatomy.
Are there any risks?
All spinal interbody fusion surgery procedures, including the ALIF technique, has the same risks, which are infection, bleeding, damage to the nerve, paralysis, incontinence, blood clot in the lungs or legs, stroke, etc.
Research shows that the risk of death is the lowest when it comes to anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. Moreover, the major blood vessels located in the abdomen are near to the intervertebral discs of the spine; there is a risk of hemorrhage.
Retrograde ejaculation is another risk for men where the patient ejaculates into his bladder and not outside. These risks and complications can be avoided if the vascular and neural surgeons are skillful and experienced.
Conclusion
Plano Tiger Woods Surgery Clinic is a place where you can undergo ALIF surgery. The success rate of this type of surgery is 90 to 97%. Most patients do not have any complications and recover quickly.
Here at the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas, we recommend you to have some pre-habilitations with physiotherapists or exercise psychologist to get in shape for surgery. For instance, if you are overweight, it is important to lose some weight before undergoing surgery.
Likewise, you need to quit smoking and stop taking warfarin, aspirin, or other anticoagulants. Next, you need to consult with a trusted Plano Tiger Woods Surgery Clinic. The surgeons at the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas will take care of your needs!
