Tiger Woods and Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
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Tiger Woods Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion involved identifying vertebrae in the spine that were causing pain and then fusing them. It was a minimally invasive surgery back pain treatment that included bonding two bones into a single, healthier, and pain-free vertebrae.
The surgeon who performed the surgery ensured restricting the movement of individual vertebrae to eliminate the pain. Tiger Woods suffered from severe back and leg pain. For years, Woods had back spasms and sciatic pain in his legs. It was difficult for him to stand up and sit down. He was unable to play golf and withdrew from several major golf tournaments.
Tiger Wood tried a variety of treatments such as medications and physical therapy, but they were not successful. Therefore, he sought a permanent solution to his back and leg pain, and that’s why he underwent anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. Read on!
What is Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion?
It is a minimally invasive surgery back pain treatment that treats disc problems in the lower back. Fusion locks two or more vertebrae to stop painful sensations and correct their alignment.
The procedure involves making an incision in the belly or abdomen to remove the painful disk. Tiger Woods Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion involved placing a bone graft in the empty spaces to realign the vertebrae and relieve nerve pinching. During the healing process, the bones fuse into a single, solid piece.
Generally, your physician may recommend ALIF to repair damaged discs and realign vertebrae causing back and leg pain. There are various ways to reach the vertebral column of the spine and perform a fusion. Before undergoing surgery, the surgeon will discuss the best minimally invasive surgery back pain approach for your unique problem.
During ALIF surgery, the surgeon makes an incision in front of the abdomen. The procedure involves both a spine surgeon and vascular surgeon who work as a team to fuse the vertebrae. The responsibility of a vascular surgeon is to provide a clear path to the spine, which involves moving aside the blood vessels in the abdomen or the legs.
The spine surgeon then removes the damaged disc and plants the bone graft in the space. The bone graft restores the height between the vertebrae, corrects the curvature of the spine, and relieves pinched nerves.
Here, the graft acts as a bridge between the two vertebrae to promote fusion. In certain situations, the surgeon uses a metal plate or screws to strengthen the graft. As the spine heals, new bones develop around the graft. Over time, the graft fuses the two vertebrae into a single bone.
Who can undergo ALIF?
Tiger Woods Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion was a successful treatment that solves his back and leg pain problems. If you have scoliosis, flatback syndrome, spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, and symptoms of back pain, you can undergo ALIF. You can’t undergo ALIF if you have an abdominal surgery previously.
Also, ALIF is not suitable for people with severe atherosclerosis of the iliac vessels or aorta. Doctors don’t recommend ALIF to people with severe osteoporosis, obesity, and peripheral vascular disease.
The ALIF is a minimally invasive surgery back pain treatment that solves a wide range of problems. These include degenerated disc disease, scoliosis, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.
A neurosurgeon at the minimally invasive neurosurgery of Texas performs ALIF surgery. We have surgeons with specialized training and experience in minimally invasive procedures. Tiger Woods Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion involved fusing L1 and S5.
So, if you have a similar problem or in general suffering from back pain, and the conservative treatments fail to fix the problem, you can undergo a minimally invasive surgery back pain treatment like ALIF.
Why ALIF at the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas?
Surgeons at the minimally invasive neurosurgery of Texas have many years of experience in performing ALIF and other similar surgeries. ALIF is a sophisticated procedure and associated with faster recovery and less pain than other spinal fusion surgery techniques.
Compared to other spinal fusion surgery that is performed from the back of the spine, ALIF follows a different approach in which the surgeon reaches the spine from the front.
With the assistance of a vascular surgeon, the spinal surgeon at the minimally invasive neurosurgery of Texas places a larger cage to fuse the two vertebrae. This way, he stabilizes the spine, and the bones tend to fuse solidly. Tiger Woods Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion has a 98% success rate. Contact us today for minimally invasive surgery back pain treatment.
