TREATMENTS
REVOLUTIONIZING SPINE SURGERY WITH PRECISION
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Chronic lower back pain has a way of shrinking your world. Activities you once took for granted, like walking the dog, playing with your grandchildren, or sitting through a workday without shifting uncomfortably in your chair, start to feel out of reach. If you have tried physical therapy, medications, and injections without lasting relief, surgery may be necessary. But not all spine surgery is the same. Lumbar disc replacement offers something traditional spinal fusion does not: the ability to move freely again, not just exist without pain.
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Types of Spine Injections Offered by Dr. Peloza
There are several kinds of spine injections, each designed to target a specific problem area. Dr. Peloza uses these precise treatments to help relieve pain and improve mobility, depending on the individual needs of each patient.
REDEFINING WHAT RECOVERY CAN LOOK LIKE
The primary clinical focus of lumbar disc replacement is relieving chronic lower back pain and leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease or disc herniation. When a disc breaks down or herniates (bulges or ruptures), it can compress nearby nerves. This produces not only deep lower back pain, but it can also cause radiating pain, numbness, or weakness down the leg. These symptoms are known as sciatica. Lumbar disc replacement addresses the problem at its source by removing the damaged disc entirely and replacing it with an implant designed to restore both comfort and function.
Lumbar disc replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces a worn or damaged disc in the lower back with an artificial, motion-preserving implant. Unlike traditional fusion, which permanently locks two vertebrae together, an artificial disc is engineered to replicate the natural movement of a healthy lumbar disc while maintaining spinal stability.
For the right candidate, lumbar disc replacement offers meaningful advantages over traditional spinal fusion. Here is what sets it apart:
- Preserved Spinal Mobility: Unlike fusion, lumbar disc replacement allows for natural bending, twisting, and rotation of the lower back. This is especially significant for active patients who want to return to sports, exercise, or physically demanding work without the stiffness that fusion can produce.
- Protection of Adjacent Segments: Fusion transfers mechanical stress to the discs above and below the treated level, accelerating their wear over time, a condition known as adjacent segment disease. Lumbar disc replacement distributes motion naturally across the spine, reducing that added stress and helping protect neighboring discs.
- No Bone Grafting: Traditional fusion requires harvesting bone, either from your own body or a donor, or using artificial bone matrices to help fuse the vertebrae together. Lumbar disc replacement eliminates that step entirely, along with the pain and complications that bone graft harvesting can sometimes cause. It also avoids non-union, which is what occurs when the fusion does not solidly knit together.
- Faster Recovery Times: Because lumbar disc replacement preserves motion and avoids the bone-healing process required after fusion, patients often return to work and physical activity sooner. For younger, active individuals, this difference in recovery timeline can be significant.
Together, these benefits make lumbar disc replacement a compelling option for patients who want more than just pain relief. It is an excellent option for people who want their quality of life back.
Not every lumbar spine case is straightforward. Dr. Peloza has deep experience in the full spectrum of spine surgery procedures. For patients with localized degenerative disc disease affecting a single level, he performs a single-level LDR. When more than one spinal levels is involved, Dr. Peloza brings specialized multi-level expertise that few spine surgeons in the region can offer.
His preferred surgical approach is anterior lumbar access, which is a minimally invasive technique in which he reaches the spine through a small incision in the abdomen rather than through the back. This muscle-sparing approach avoids cutting through the large muscles of the lower back and thereby reduces post-operative pain and supports a faster recovery.
For patients whose anatomy or condition calls for a more customized strategy, Dr. Peloza also offers hybrid solutions that combine disc replacement at some levels with fusion at other levels to achieve optimal stability and long-term outcomes.
Lumbar disc replacement is not the right solution for every patient, but for the right candidate, it can be life changing. Lumbar disc replacement is reserved for patients with persistent lower back pain who have tried conservative treatments (e.g., physical therapy, injections) without finding lasting relief. If pain continues to limit your daily life despite those efforts, surgical evaluation is a reasonable and important next step.
Lumbar disc replacement tends to be a particularly strong fit for younger, active individuals who want to maintain a high level of physical activity after surgery. Fusion can place long-term limitations on movement; lumbar disc replacement is designed to prevent that. Thus, patients who want to return to power walking, running, cycling, golf, or other activities are often the most motivated candidates.
Anatomy matters just as much as symptoms. Good bone density is essential; patients with osteoporosis or osteopenia (reduced bone density, measured by a DEXA scan T-score below -1.0) may not have sufficient bone strength to support the implant long-term. The health of your facet joints (the small paired joints at the back of each spinal level) is equally important. Significant facet joint arthritis is one of the most common reasons a patient is steered toward fusion instead, since a new disc cannot correct pain that originates from those joints. Dr. Peloza will also evaluate for spinal instability, such as spondylolisthesis (a condition where one vertebra slips forward over another), as well as overall spinal alignment, all of which factor into whether lumbar disc replacement is safe and appropriate for your specific anatomy.
Dr. Peloza conducts a comprehensive evaluation before recommending any surgical approach. This includes a detailed review of your symptoms and history, advanced imaging, and diagnostic tests to confirm that your spinal anatomy is suited for lumbar disc replacement. Not everyone qualifies, and Dr. Peloza will give you an honest assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Dr. Peloza has spent decades at the forefront of motion-preserving spine surgery, developing expertise in lumbar disc replacement at a time when most spine surgeons were exclusively performing fusion. His pioneering work in motion-preserving technologies means he brings not only technical skill to the operating room, but a deep, firsthand understanding of how these implants perform over time and which patients benefit most from them.
At the heart of his practice is a patient-first philosophy centered on one guiding principle: the best surgery is the one that solves your problem without creating new ones. Failed back surgery syndrome, a condition where patients continue to experience pain or develop new complications after spinal procedures, is far more common than most people realize. Dr. Peloza designs every treatment plan with that reality in mind, prioritizing solutions that preserve your anatomy, protect adjacent spinal levels, and support a durable, long-term outcome rather than a short-term fix.
If you have been living with chronic lower back pain and wondering whether there is a better path forward, the next step is a conversation. Dr. Peloza will take the time to review your history, evaluate your imaging, and give you an honest assessment of whether lumbar disc replacement is right for you. There is no pressure and no predetermined recommendation; just a thorough, individualized evaluation focused entirely on what is best for your spine and your life.
Contact Dr. Peloza’s office today to schedule your consultation. Relief and mobility are within reach.
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