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• Vertebral Body Replacement

Vertebral Body Replacement

Vertebral body replacement is surgery to treat unstable fractures of the lumbar (lower) or thoracic (middle) spine. It involves replacing the bony mass of a vertebra or vertebrae with an implant or implants made of metal, ceramic material, acrylic, or carbon. This massively invasive surgery usually is reserved for patients who have suffered severe spinal trauma or who have had a vertebra excised to remove a spinal tumor.

During vertebral body replacement surgery, a patient is placed under general anesthesia and the entire vertebra, including the intervertebral disc, is removed. It is replaced by the implant and a bone graft. Many patients recover mobility and are able to resume everyday activity after a year or more of recuperation. However, this back surgery can lead to several post-surgical complications, including:

• Vertebral collapse
• Loss of vertebral height
• Severe back pain
• Limited range of motion
• Abnormal spine curve
• Increased spinal instability
• Neural damage

Vertebral body replacement should only be considered after careful and thorough consultation with your doctor. The same is true for surgical treatment of other spinal conditions, such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and herniated disc. Should surgery become an option, consider Laser Spine Institute (LSI) as an alternative to traditional open back surgery.

The award-winning surgeons at LSI use gentle, endoscopic techniques to perform minimally invasive, outpatient procedures that can help you rediscover a life without pain. Contact LSI to learn more or for a free review of your MRI or CT scan.

Please note: Laser Spine Institute currently does not perform endoscopic procedures on the thoracic spine.