I have a failed cervical fusion. Should I consider restorative motion surgery? | Dr. Todd Lanman

This is a case of a competition-level wrestler, age 25, who had a cervical fusion that was failing. He had a non-union, which means that the bone graft was not successful. What made matters worse, one of the screws from the fusion bars had started to back out of the implant and was causing excruciating pain.

By the time I met him, he had been out of competition for about a year. He couldn't coach and he couldn't compete - which basically meant that he was not doing the things that he wanted to do with his life.

He approached me about replacing his failed fusion with an artificial disc. This is a relatively new field of restorative motion surgery. I have successfully performed several of these procedures. Often it requires a combination of artificial disc replacement and fusion reversals. This is an off-label procedure, which means that while not tacitly approved by the FDA, it is not prohibited. This is the FDA's way of allowing surgeons, such as myself, to customize treatment for unique patient situations. It is also entirely appropriate considering my background as a research clinician, board-certified neurosurgery specialist practicing medicine for 25 years, a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, and a member of the Cedars-Sinai Institute of Spinal Disorders.

For this young man, the procedure was a perfect solution. He's back to coaching and competition. He sent me a letter with his thanks the first gold medal he's won in over a year. He promises to win many more.


Dr. Lanman is a board-certified neurosurgery specialist practicing medicine for 25 years with a private practice in Beverly Hills, CA. He specializes in the treatment of spinal disorders and is a leading clinical advocate for artificial disc replacement surgery. He is a professor at the University of California Los Angeles, and a member of the Cedars-Sinai Institute of Spinal Disorders.

As a leading innovator in the treatment of spinal disorders, as well as a media educator and contributor, Lanman has published more than ten peer-reviewed articles, as well as book chapters on topics relating to neurological surgery, and has presented more than two dozen papers at national and regional medical society meetings. He has been tapped by colleagues to be the principal medical investigator on a broad swath of clinical trials for motion preserving surgeries and artificial disc replacement devices, most recently the Prestige LP and M6, with the former recently receiving FDA pre-market approval in 2016 with his continuous support and advocacy.

Part of his constant advocacy for patients stems from his own experience as a patient. His unique insights helped him develop a program called "4D Health Process." The "process" helps him guide patients to think about their health more comprehensively and holistically. The process also incorporates some different factors including one’s age, daily lifestyle, nutrition, hormone status, physical exercise routine, and of course spine and joint health to paint a complete picture of one’s health from a four-dimensional perspective.

The "4D" program relies on his meticulous analysis of each patient's current physical condition, their lifestyle, and treatment goals. He uses his decades of knowledge and expertise to shift the emphasis for how we view healthy living, aging, and the treatment of spinal disorders. His unique medical treatment approach helps him map out an entire preventative and forward-thinking strategy to help his patients live an active, healthy life, with the full natural movement of their spine. His stated goal is to help patients be greater than "better."

Dr. Lanman graduated from Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, IL with top honors and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed a general surgery internship and neurological surgery residency at UCLA. He is an active member of many professional societies and organizations including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), North American Spine Society (NASS), and Fellow American College of Surgeons. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS).

CREDITS

Editing: Ray Wyman http://www.raywyman.com
Management: Brandi Kamenar https://www.brandikamenar.com/