The Texas Tiger Woods Back Surgery Story
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Texas Tiger Woods back surgery has a long history. In 2010, Tiger withdrew from the final round of a major golf event due to tingling sensations in the back. In 2013, Woods had a stiff neck problem, which caused him to back out from another major tournament.
In 2014, the golfer removed himself from the Honda Classic Tournament due to back pain. Later, he underwent a micro-discectomy to deal with the problem of a pinched nerve. Due to the surgery, Woods did not participate in the Masters’ Tournament.
In general, a micro-discectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat a herniated disc. Woods had a herniated disc, which was compressing his nerve. As a result, he suffered from painful sensations in his back.
Texas Tiger Woods Back Surgery
Tiger Woods is one of the best golf players in the world. He has many fans around the world who wanted to see him play golf and put smiles on their faces. However, his back problem didn’t allow him to participate in major golf tournaments.
He had undergone a few surgical procedures, followed the medicinal approach, and physical therapy, but he could not achieve adequate results. Previously, Tiger had three surgeries to relieve pain in his lower lumbar spine.
He had a severely narrowed disc that caused pain in his back and leg. Again, conservative treatment options, such as medications and physical therapy, did not work for him. That’s why in 2017, Woods announced on his official website that he would undergo ALIF.
ALIF stands for anterior lumbar interbody fusion, which is a minimally invasive surgery that allows the surgeon to remove the degenerated disc from the lumbar spine. In Woods’ case, Dr Richard Guyer removes the disc between L5, which is the last lumbar vertebrae and S1, the top of the sacrum.
When it comes to the structure of the lumbar spine, the vertebrae between L5 and S1 makes a triangular formation of the pelvic bones. Dr Richard followed the ALIF approach to restore the alignment between the sacrum and vertebrae to fuse the bones.
What is ALIF?
ALIF is minimally invasive surgery in which the surgeon approaches the joint in the back from the abdomen. The purpose is to spare the nerves and muscles in the lower back. There are many benefits of preserving the ligaments, nerves, and muscles in the lumbar spine. In particular, ALIF is beneficial for people with an active lifestyle.
It is an effective approach that allows surgeons at the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas to restore normal alignment by placing bone graft material between the vertebrae. An interbody device or mesh cage hold in pace the graft material and restore alignment.
Over time, the graft material fuses the bones and allow vertebrae in the lumbar spine and sacrum to grow into a single, solid bone. Compared to ALIF, PLIF allows the surgeon to place the bone graft material across the back of the vertebrae.
ALIF vs. PLIF vs. TLIF
ALIF is a similar procedure to PLIF, but it is from the anterior or front of the body. Like Texas Tiger Woods back surgery, which was a success, surgeons at MINT makes a 3-5 niches incision in the lower abdominal area.
An ALIF procedure preserves the muscles in the lower back and allows the surgeon to access the spine from the front via a small incision. The ALIF approach maintains muscle strength in the abdominal area.
Unlike ALIF, PLIF involves making a 3-5 inches incision in your back to retract the spinal muscles, which allows access to the disc. PLIF requires the surgeon to remove the lamina so that he can access the nerve root.
It is important to know that the facet joints lie over the nerve roots directly. The surgeons trim them to create more room for the roots. Once done, the surgeon removes the disc and prepares the surface of the bone for fusion with the adjacent vertebrae. Remember, PLIF surgery requires the surgeon to remove the surrounding tissue as well.
TLIF, on the other hand, is a modern surgery method that enables the surgeon to access the spine through a posterior approach. The operation involves the surgeon to remove the intervertebral disc and then join two or more vertebrae using a cage and screws. Although TLIF is an effective approach, it can cause injury to the nerve root.
Final Words
ALIF is a surgery that involves small incisions from the front to access the lumbar spine. It is a minimally invasive approach, which means less pain, less blood, less scarring, quick recovery, and spared muscles/tissues/ligaments in the lower back.
Like Texas Tiger Woods back surgery, which was a successful surgery that allowed him to make a great comeback and win the 2019 Masters, you can contact us today to schedule your appointment.
