Tiger Woods’ Plano TX Back Surgeon
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Dr. Richard Guyer, an orthopedic surgeon in Texas, was Tiger Woods’ Plano TX Back Surgeon who performed his fourth back surgery, and all went well.
Tiger Woods had a back pain problem since 2014, which made him stop being actively involved in professional golfing. Tiger’s back pain was caused by a bulging disc or vertebral disc herniation that resulted in compression of the nerve root in his lower back.
Even after having three surgeries, the chronic back pain persisted. Woods and his fans felt his career had almost come to an end until he met Dr. Guyer.
However, Dr. Guyer, a Back surgeon in Plano, TX, after assessing Woods’ back condition, was convinced Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion would solve his problem.
Dr. Guyer performed lumbar interbody fusion surgery, or LIFS, on Woods’, between his lumbar vertebrae. The fusion provided stability for Tiger’s lower back. After the successful surgery, Woods was able to take part in the Masters’ tournament, which marked his comeback into active sports.
About Tiger Woods Back Surgery
When Tiger visited Dr. Guyer, he had severe back pain, and he could barely walk. He visited the Texas-based surgeon (Dr. Guyer) to treat him for the back pain condition. Dr. Guyer assured him that he would get back to his everyday life after lumbar interbody fusion surgery.
All along, Woods’ goal was to regain his ability to remain active, healthy, and competitive without pain. Tiger had suffered from back pain problems for many years before his fusion surgery, and he had several previous surgeries done by other orthopedic surgeons. However, they were unable to repair Tiger’s back problems altogether.
Dr. Guyer, the board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, gave Woods the needed assurance that the surgery procedure will solve the problem.
Dr. Guyer recommended lumbar interbody fusion surgery after in-depth discussions with Woods, his primary care physician, and other neurosurgeons. He suggested the anterior minimally invasive surgery to posterior open back surgery because it has a higher success rate, and the patients experience fast healing without any complications. Notably, the procedure would successfully prevent a recurring herniated disc from the spinal canal.
Significantly, from Dr. Guyer’s competence and specialization in minimally invasive surgery, Woods had expected a successful outcome when he chose him as his surgeon. Tiger did not have to be away from his family and work for extended periods during the recovery period. The surgery was perfect and convenient as expected.
Notably, during the procedure, all of the diseased material was removed from Tiger’s disc and replaced with a bone graft, which was used to fuse the two vertebrae and eliminated Tiger’s back pain for good. Dr. Guyer fused Woods’ two adjacent vertebrae, resulting in solid fusion between the bones.
The key to Woods’ successful surgery was that Dr. Guyer could repair the disc herniation by using allograft bone instead of autograft bone, which is what most surgeons do.
Importantly, Woods had completely pain-free surgery and experienced a pain-free recovery period. He underwent surgery on April 20, 2014, and he was expected to make a full recovery in 4-6 months.
Why You Should Consider Spinal Fusion Surgery
Spinal fusion surgery, Woods’ procedure, and had his back pain problem resolved involved removing the damaged disc, clearing out any fragments, then implanting an allograft bone graft between two adjacent vertebrae.
While the procedure is a reliable solution to back pain, it’s not a one-size-fits-all for back pain cases. Some back pain problems go away on their own after managing the pain with over-the-counter drugs. Notably, some patients recover from back pain problems with physiotherapy intervention. Only in severe cases does the patient require surgery performed to correct the condition.
If you have had chronic back pain, and there has been no significant improvement even after medical and physiotherapy interventions, then it’s time you should consider spinal fusion surgery. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that takes a shorter time to complete.
There are notable benefits of spinal fusion surgery, as it’s with the case of Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods did not experience any form of severe complications at all. The surgery was successful, and he went back to his usual lifestyle within a short time.
Essentially, for the procedure to be successful and for quick recovery, you must follow all the doctor’s instructions and be patient during the recovery process. Woods was committed and observed Dr. Guyer’s instruction to get his back pain under control before returning to play.
Therefore, you can consider lumbar interbody fusion back surgery at Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery of Texas for your chronic back pain, as it was recommended by Tiger Woods’ Plano TX Back Surgeon.
