During disk replacement surgery, the surgeon will remove the damaged disc and replace it with an artificial disc. The goal of this and most all spine surgeries is to help to reduce your pain and restore activity.

• Maintain motion in the area of the spine where the disc is implanted
• Maintain stability in your spine
• Restore proper disc height between the vertebrae above and below the disc
• Re-establish proper spinal alignment / curvature of your spine in the lumbar area
• Reduce discogenic pain, especially lower back pain

Suitability for Total Disc Replacement

Total disc replacement is an alternative to spinal fusion for some patients. Your eligibility for disc replacement can only be determined by your doctor. Before you and your doctor agree to surgery as an option, your doctor will want to make sure that you’ve given nonsurgical treatments a reasonable trial.

Also, your doctor needs to receive all pertinent medical records such as X-rays, MRIs, and in some cases a study called a discogram, which is a special X-ray examination that involves the use of a dye. The dye, injected into a disc, serves to make it appear better on an X-ray. The injection of dye also may produce a pain similar to your ongoing back pain, which helps your doctor pinpoint that disc as the source of your pain. ALAAFIYAH CARE will arrange for all your records to be transmitted to your assigned doctor.

Total Disc Replacement Surgery

When undergoing total disc replacement surgery, you will be lying on your back, and the surgeon will operate on your spine through an incision near your belly button. The surgeon will remove the diseased disc and replace it with an artificial disc. There are alternative treatments to this surgery. You should discuss these other possibilities with your surgeon before you make your decision.

Total Disc Replacement Recovery

In most cases, immediately after surgery, your heart and lung function will continue to be monitored, and your doctor will prescribe medicines to control pain and nausea. The average hospital stay for disc replacement surgery at our partner hospitals is about ten days, which typically is much longer than what you would receive in India with the advantage of medically trained people always being close by. Before hospital discharge, your doctor will discuss a program to gradually increase your activity. It is possible that you will be asked to wear a back brace or elastic bandage to support your abdominal muscles after surgery.

Life after Disc Replacement

Pain relief, the reduction of further degeneration, and resumption of daily activities are typical goals of spine surgery. While both fusion surgery and artificial disc replacement can provide pain relief and stability, with spinal fusion, the vertebrae surrounding the disc space are immobilized, limiting flexibility in that area of the spine. Laboratory testing shows that patients who have undergone total disc replacement have more movement in the spine.

Nobody can guarantee that after disc replacement surgery you will never feel pain again or that your spine will fully regain its flexibility.

If you’re like the majority of spinal surgery patients, you’ll experience a decrease in pain, and you’ll gradually be able to increase your level of activity. With your pain minimized or no longer an issue, your concentration level on tasks will be noticeably better.

What Is Hip Resurfacing Surgery?

The procedure is very bone conserving as the head of the femur is retained. Instead of removing the head completely, it is shaped to accept an anatomically sized metal sphere. There is no large stem to go down the central part of the femur, and the surface of the acetabulum (the socket) is also replaced with a metal implant, which is press fit directly into the bone.

The resurfacing components are made of ‘As Cast’ cobalt chrome, which is finely machined to produce a very high-quality surface with a low friction finish, hence low wear. The BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING has the largest independently verified clinical history of any resurfacing device available today. Please look at the following video.

With the impeccable advancement in the medical field, India stands in the number one position in its respective field. Most reliable Indian hospitals have the latest equipment, and it improves the success rate of treatments.

If you’re in a great deal of pain in your hip, your doctor may propose a hip replacement treatment. This frequent procedure replaces your hip bone(s) with an artificial one, allowing you to move more freely and comfortably. It takes time to recover from a hip replacement, and many rules to follow to keep you safe and recovering.

Hip replacement Surgery in India is mostly performed by highly skilled and experienced orthopaedic surgeons, and the rate of recovery for the surgical procedure totally depends upon the age of the patient and the type of surgery chosen.

What is Hip Replacement?

Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint that joins your leg’s thigh bone (femur) to your pelvis. Your femur has a ball-shaped “head” at the top that fits into the acetabulum (the socket). Ligaments, tendons, and muscles surround the joint and keep it in place. Your hip is the most flexible and free-moving joint in your body, allowing you to move backward and forward, to the side, and rotate.

This procedure involves replacing your hip (or sections of it) with a man-made implant (prosthesis). It is frequently performed on adults after other treatments like using a cane or walker, losing weight, taking medications, and having physical therapy that has failed to work. You may require a hip replacement as a result of:

• Osteoarthritis
• Arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis)
• Syndrome of femoroacetabular impingement
• Injuries caused by a fall, such as a hip fracture or dislocation
• Hip dysplasia in childhood
• An injury that did not heal properly
• Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis)
• Neoplasms
• Hip diseases in children, such as Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and slipping capital femoral epiphysis

Hip replacements are classified into two types:

• Total hip replacement (the most common type): A total hip replacement involves the replacement of both the femoral head and the acetabulum with a prosthesis.
• Partial hip replacement: A partial replacement replaces only the femoral head. This is usually performed on patients who have particular types of hip fractures.

What symptoms might indicate the necessity for a hip replacement?

In general, everybody is a candidate for hip replacement surgery. Candidates for this procedure are not classified based on their age, course, or degree of activity. The majority of patients are between the ages of 60 and 80. However, the procedure is not limited to the elderly. Some of the symptoms listed below may be related to diseases that hip replacements resolve. They are as follows:

• Pain in the groin or anterior hip
• Buttock and trochanteric area pain
• Pain during and after normal physical activities
• Pain that worsens as you put weight on your leg
• Hip stiffness or rigidity
• Motion impairment
• Sleeping difficulties
• Walking is difficult
• Experiencing difficulties putting on shoes and socks

However, hip replacement surgery in India is not appropriate for everyone. Even if a person is in pain and can’t move their hip as well as they should, they should not be considered automatically for a hip replacement. If you have any of the following, you may be ineligible:

• Heart failure, anemia, a recent myocardial infarction (heart attack), unstable angina, and other severe medical complications.
• An active infection
• A juvenile skeleton
• Irreversible or permanent muscle weakening
• Quadriplegia, paraplegia
• A neuropathic joint (Charcot)
• Obesity with severe morbidity

How Is a Hip Replacement Diagnosis Made?

The physical examination and a thorough history allow the physician to discover any link between the symptoms of pain and past history and demands placed on a hip. The doctor will enquire about any instances of instability or damage and examine the tendons and hip arrangement. In addition, based on the assumed or known causes of pain, the physician recommends one or more specialist tests to make a diagnosis for hip replacement surgery:

• Arthrogram
• Aspiration
• Bone densitometry examination
• CT scan (computed tomography)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

What Are the Best Hip Replacement Surgery Options Available in India?

One can select from a broad range of medical procedure substitutions identified with hips in Indian hospitals because it entirely depends on the level of association necessary throughout the medical process and the extent of harm that needs to be repaired. The orthopedic specialist evaluates the patient’s condition. They also educate patients on which type of hip replacement surgery they might undergo. The following are some of the different types of hip replacement medical procedures:

• Hip resurfacing
• Partial hip replacement
• Minimally invasive hip replacement
• Revision hip replacement
• Double hip replacement
• Robotic hip replacement surgery
• Total hip replacement

If you are suffering from bone and joint issues, the best orthopedic surgeon in India will advise you on which treatment is perfect for you based on your certain case history. Also, they will offer you an affordable hip replacement cost in India.

Orthopedic surgery covers surgical treatment of various medical disorders and injuries to the skeletal structure as well as the muscles and tendons in the body.

Although the number of diseases and disorders treated with orthopedic surgery is large, these are some of the most common conditions that are treated using this type of surgical treatment:

• Joint Pain

Joint pain is most commonly felt as we age. It is also caused due to various medical disorders as well as injuries. Joint pain can be felt in any joint of the body, including the knee, elbow, and knuckles, etc.

• Back/Neck Pain

Back and Neck pain are caused due to various reasons, from mild injuries and pulled muscles to neurological disorders also. There are various orthopedic treatments available to treat back and neck pain effectively. Your doctor (or orthopedic specialist) will determine the exact orthopedic treatment which is suitable for your particular case.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common medical disorders that cause painful and inflamed joints. This disease causes the various joints in the body, mainly the knee joint, to become swollen, tender, and painful to move.

There are various orthopedic treatments for arthritis; however, the most suitable orthopedic surgery or treatment will be advised to you after reviewing various factors in your particular case.

Ligament/Tendon Injuries

The tendons and ligaments in the body provide the main connection between the muscles and bones in all parts of the body. These are very important for supporting and allowing the muscles to move the bones (and limbs).

Fractures

Fractures are breaks or fissures that develop in bones after an injury or also due to several medical disorders. Mild fractures are treated with surgical resetting of the broken bones, while compound fractures require extensive orthopaedic surgery to put the multiple bone pieces back in a natural position and provide artificial support till it heals naturally.

What are the Various Orthopaedic Surgery and Treatment Methods?

There are a large number of orthopaedic treatment and surgery techniques. The exact orthopaedic treatment and technique used in every case depend mainly on certain factors, such as the type of medical disorder or injury causing the condition as well as the patient’s age and overall health among others.

These are some of the most common orthopaedic surgery and treatment methods used today:

For Bones:

Orthopaedic surgery for medical diseases, disorders, and injuries to the bones include –

• Bone grafting: This modern orthopaedic surgery involves removing a small portion of biological tissue (such as cartilage, bone marrow, skin biopsy, etc.) from another part of the body to repair the damage caused on a bone. At times, the orthopaedic surgeon will also use artificial bone materials to substitute for natural bone grafts.
• Laminectomy: In case the spinal cord (or nerve roots) feels abnormal pressure in the spinal canal due to constriction of the space, the orthopaedic surgeon might perform a Laminectomy. This requires the orthopaedic surgeon to remove a small portion of the damaged vertebra (lamina) from the back. This helps to relieve the pressure from the nerve roots or spinal cord and treats the symptoms successfully.

For Joints:

Orthopaedic surgery for treating medical conditions and injuries affecting the joints in the body are –

• Arthroscopy: Also called arthroscopic orthopaedic surgery, it is an efficient minimally invasive surgical technique that can help to assess the damage to the joint using a small camera attached to the arthroscope (small flexible optical fiber tube) which is inserted through a keyhole (very small) incision. This device is also used to remove the damaged bones or tissue from various joints, such as knee, elbow, wrist, etc.
• Arthroplasty/Joint Replacement surgery: Joint replacement surgery is the most effective and common orthopaedic surgery. This involves replacing a damaged joint in the body (such as knee, hip, etc.) with an artificial joint implant. This is mostly a last resort in case other orthopaedic surgical and non-surgical treatments are unsuccessful.

For Muscles, Tendons, Fascia, and Bursa:

These are the various orthopaedic treatments and surgeries for different types of medical disorders and injuries that affect the muscles, tendons, fascia, and bursa –

• Fasciotomy: This orthopaedic surgical treatment is used to relieve pressure being caused by soft connective tissue. It is most useful in saving limbs that are at risk of tissue atrophy due to nerve damage or muscle death.
• Open Release: As the name suggests, this orthopaedic treatment is useful to treat conditions where ligaments are putting abnormal pressure on surrounding bone or other tissue/organ. As the orthopaedic surgeon cuts the abnormally tightened ligaments, the pressure is relieved, saving the risk of nerve damage, etc.

Why Choose ALAAFIYAH CARE for Orthopaedic Surgery?

ALAAFIYAH CARE has been known to provide the best and most efficient services for orthopaedic surgeries and treatments all across the world. ALAAFIYAH CARE is connected to a vast web of high-class orthopaedic specialty hospitals at various international destinations, including India, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, etc., for efficient travel to get orthopaedic treatment.

ALAAFIYAH CARE helps patients at each step of the way to get world-class orthopaedic treatment at an affordable cost.

Hospitals, officially recognized accreditation agencies such as JCAHO and the Joint Commission International (JCI), are thoroughly investigated prior to selection.

Your procedure, including travel to and from the destination hospital, is managed by registered nurses from beginning to conclusion, guaranteeing you the optimum experience.

Most importantly, we provide you with a personal touch from start until well after your return home.

What is Disc Fusion?

A disk fusion is a surgery performed to link together individual segments, or vertebrae, within the spine. The spinal column, or backbone, is made up of individual bones called vertebrae.

These bones are stacked together. Between each of the vertebrae is a soft cushion called a disc. The disc spaces allow each vertebrae to bend slightly; this motion allows us to bend forward and arch backward. A spine fusion is a surgery that is done to link together two or more vertebrae. When there is a problem with the vertebrae (often a problem with the disc space), your doctor may recommend a spine fusion to eliminate the motion that occurs within that portion of the spine. By linking together the vertebrae, your doctor is trying to eliminate the source of your back problem. Spinal fusion may be recommended for:

• Abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis or kyphosis)
• Injury to the spinal vertebrae
• Protrusion of the cushioning disc between vertebrae (slipped disc, herniated nucleus pulposus)
• Weak or unstable spine caused by infections or tumors

We are affiliated with hospitals that are approved by the Joint Commission International (JCI). Our case managers are registered nurses who consult with you to make certain all your concerns and questions are taken care of to your satisfaction.

Most importantly, we provide you with a personal touch from start until well after your return home.

What is a Discectomy?

Discectomy (also called open discectomy) is the surgical removal of herniated disc material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord. Before the disc material is removed, a small piece of bone (the lamina) from the affected vertebra may be removed. This is called a laminotomy or laminectomy and allows the surgeon to better see and access the area of disc herniation.

Microdiscectomy uses a special microscope or magnifying instrument to view the disc and nerves. The magnified view makes it possible for the surgeon to remove herniated disc material through a smaller incision, thus causing less damage to surrounding tissue. A variant of microdiscectomy is percutaneous endoscopic discectomy.

Evaluating your Suitability for Discectomy

Surgery may be considered if tests show that your symptoms are due to a herniated disc and your doctor thinks surgery may help relieve the symptoms. In deciding whether to have surgery, you and your doctor will consider factors such as:

• A history of persistent leg pain, weakness, and limitation of daily activities that has not gotten better with at least 4 weeks of nonsurgical treatment.
• Results of a physical examination that show you have weakness, loss of motion, or abnormal sensation (feeling) that is likely to get better after surgery.
• Diagnostic testing, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), or milligram that indicates your herniated disc would respond to surgery.

• You can sit as long as you are comfortable, but most people avoid sitting for longer than 15 to 20 minutes. After surgery, sitting can be uncomfortable for a while.
• Use walking as your primary form of exercise for the first several weeks. Getting up frequently to walk around will help decrease the risk that excess scar tissue will form. Scar tissue can keep the nerve root from gliding freely as you move and can press on the nerve root. Walking will also provide exercise for your heart and lungs without stress to your back or the incision line (scar).
• Avoid any activities that cause pain.
• You may begin bicycling and swimming about 2 weeks after surgery as directed by your doctor or physical therapist.
• If you work in an office, you may return to work within 2 to 4 weeks. If your job requires physical labor (such as lifting or operating machinery that vibrates), you may be able to return to work 4 to 8 weeks after surgery.

Many people are able to resume work and daily activities soon after surgery. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a rehabilitation program after surgery, which might include physical therapy and home exercises.

Most importantly, we provide you with a personal touch from start until well after your return home.

Spinal Cord Stimulator

Spinal cord stimulation is a form of neurostimulation intended for pain relief. The FDA approved this procedure in 1989. Developments have vastly improved today’s technology, such as enabling a patient to program the stimulating device with software.

A spinal cord stimulator is a tiny programmable generator, with thin soft wires with electrical leads connected to it. The generator is operated with a handheld remote control. Spinal cord stimulation surgery works on the premise that small electrical currents block pain signals transmitted to the brain.

Spinal Stimulator Procedures Benefits:

• It involves a minor surgical procedure
• There are few side effects
• Gives the ability to have a more physically and socially active life
• Enhances quality of life
• It may allow reduction in medications
• It provides patient-controlled pain relief

Spinal Cord Stimulator Candidates

Candidates for spinal cord stimulation have chronic and severe pain. Symptoms can be caused by neck and back pain or a failed spine surgery that provided no pain relief. Neck pain with associated arm pain and back pain with associated leg pain respond best to spinal cord stimulation. Limb movement alone must not be responsible for pain.

Spinal cord stimulation may also be appropriate for peripheral neuropathy, angina unresponsive to previous conventional procedures and medications, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and chronic abdominal pain from an inguinal hernia repair.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery

A trial with a temporary spinal cord stimulator is carried out before permanent implantation takes place. This is standard procedure to determine whether spinal cord stimulation will be successful. A local anesthetic is administered, and you remain conscious for the insertion of the temporary electrical leads through an epidural needle. A generator is not implanted in a trial run but, rather, an external device is attached to the wires.

If the trial successfully reduces your pain and need for pain medications, a permanent spinal cord stimulator is placed under the skin of the abdomen or upper buttocks. A spine surgeon, in conjunction with the patient’s pain location and description, determines its placement. The implanted generator and wires are invisible. The procedure is performed in under three hours.

As with all surgical and medical treatments, there is a possibility of complications. Consult your doctor to ensure you fully understand the inherent risks.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery Preparation

A physical and, possibly, a psychological evaluation are conducted first. The next step is the trial procedure. Preparation for spinal cord stimulator surgery is simple. The doctor will give you complete instructions, which might include directions on which medications are permissible prior to surgery. You may be asked to stop all aspirin products a few weeks prior to surgery to avoid prolonged bleeding.

Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery Recovery

You must remain prone in bed for the initial 12 hours. Pain medications as required will be provided. There may be swelling and bruising. Stitches and staples are removed in approximately 1 to 2 weeks. After the initial six to eight weeks, your activities may gradually increase.

Until then, you should refrain from bending, twisting, lifting, or stretching. Driving may be prohibited for up to one month. Showering is permitted, but immersion of the surgery site must be avoided for the first month.

There will be some adjustments in your lifestyle after you receive a spinal cord stimulator. The stimulator may activate metal detectors, and anti-theft systems may temporarily increase the stimulation.

Operation of heavy equipment is prohibited when the stimulator is turned on. While household appliances are safe with a stimulator, the stimulator remote control magnet may possibly damage or erase items with magnetic strips if placed too close to the remote control.

What are the Types of Spine Surgery?

The various types of spinal surgery are categorized mainly according to the approach the surgeon takes to perform the surgical procedure.

These are the 3 main approaches utilized when performing a spinal surgery:

• Anterior approach – In this, the surgeon will make an incision in the front of the body (usually in the chest or abdomen) to access the damaged portion of the spine.
• Posterior approach – In this, the surgeon will make an incision in the back directly over the damaged portion of the spinal column.
• Lateral approach – In this, the surgeon will make an incision at the side to access the damaged part of the spinal column.

These approaches are used in conventional and minimally invasive surgery as well.

What are the Various Spine Surgery Treatments?

As there are various causes that can result in intense back and neck pain, the type and approach for spine surgery treatment also varies accordingly.

These are some of the most common spine surgery treatments performed all over the world today:

• Anterior Lumbar Inter-Body Fusion (ALIF)

In this spinal surgery, the surgeon will use an anterior approach (incision in the abdomen) to reach the damaged spinal portion. This helps the surgeon to easily remove the damaged inter-vertebral disc. When the damaged disc is removed, the empty space is filled with a bone graft or an artificial spacer device to help fuse the two consecutive vertebrae.



• Anterior Cervical Discectomy

In this form of spinal surgery, the surgeon will use conventional open-type surgical method to get a lateral approach. This requires the surgeon to make an incision at the side of the neck and access the damaged portion of the cervical spinal column. This allows the surgeon to remove the damaged inter-vertebral disc with efficiency and place a bone graft or an artificial spacer device to support in fusing the two consecutive vertebrae together.

Bone Grafting – In this spinal surgery type, the surgeon places a bone graft into an area of the spinal column that requires support with fusion. The bone graft may be autologous (from the patient’s body) or allograft (from a donor) or an artificial device (spacer).

Discectomy – In this spinal surgery, the surgeon will remove a damaged inter-vertebral disc or a part of it. This is most useful in case of herniated inter-vertebral discs which then cause painful and restrictive symptoms.

A discectomy is also used to restrict the motion of two consecutive vertebrae. This is the spinal fusion technique useful in treating pain being caused from the movement of damaged vertebrae. This surgery can be performed in all areas of the spinal column (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) and with different surgical approaches too.

Endoscopy – This is a minimally invasive spinal surgery method. It uses an endoscope, a thin and flexible surgical tube fitted with a light source, video camera, and miniature surgical instruments, to perform the required surgical procedure.

An endoscopic spinal surgery is useful in successfully treating scoliosis, kyphosis, etc.

Foraminotomy/Foraminectomy – These are two sides of the same spinal surgery method. The foramen is the natural groove inside all vertebrae which together form the spinal canal. This spinal canal contains the sensitive nerve roots and spinal cord, stretching from the base of the skull to the lower back. Undue pressure on this canal causes the nerve roots and spinal cord to become compressed. This results in painful and motion-restrictive conditions that affect everyday life intensively.

In a foraminotomy, the surgeon will remove bones and soft tissues that are pressing against the spinal cord. This helps to decompress the spine and give relief from painful symptoms. A foraminectomy differs in the sense that the surgeon will remove comparatively larger portions of bone and soft tissues from the spinal canal.

Laminectomy – In this spinal surgery, the surgeon will remove a portion of the lamina of the vertebrae which is causing the spinal cord and nerve roots to get compressed. The lamina may be completely or partially removed to make sufficient space for the spinal cord.

Microdiscectomy – This is a minimally invasive spinal surgery technique. It is most useful to remove bone debris from the spinal column safely. As it uses the least invasive technique, the patient is able to have less pain after the surgery and also recover faster.

Spinal fusion – The spinal fusion surgery is aimed at creating a single mass out of two consecutive vertebrae by fusing (welding) them together. In case the movement of the vertebrae is causing pain to the patient, the surgeon will use a bone graft or surgical adhesive and artificial support devices to fuse the vertebrae together.

Why Choose ALAAFIYAH CARE For Spine Surgery?

ALAAFIYAH CARE is synonymous with providing the best-in-class medical tourism assistance all over the world. ALAAFIYAH CARE ensures high-quality spinal surgery treatment at the best and most renowned hospitals at popular international destinations, including US, UK, Thailand, Malaysia, Dubai to name a few.

ALAAFIYAH CARE is committed to providing complete travelling and treatment care to patients with affordable bespoke treatment packages.