Less than a week after total knee replacement surgery, Karen Schrader is walking around on her farm

Orthopedic Services

Artificial Discs

Orthopedic Extras

Avoiding sports injuries

Open House for VIPs at St. Anthony's Medical Center new Ortho-Spine Center

Ortho-Spine Center Open House for South County Chamber of Commerce

Ortho-Spine Center Employee Open House

Orthopedics in the News

Four-year, $90 million project is completed at St. Anthony's Medical Center

Ask the Doctor: What causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Ask the Doctor: Is it safe to crack your knuckles?

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The artificial disc is a real breakthrough for patients who have low back pain due to disc degeneration in one of the two lowest levels of the spine. Unlike spinal fusion surgery, which permanently limits motion. The artificial disc allows the spine to move and doesn't put stress on other discs.

The artificial disc is a three-piece device consisting of a sliding center sandwiched between two metal-cupped endplates that are fixed to the bone. It is made of some of the same materials used in other joint replacement implants.

Candidates for Artificial Discs

Candidates for an artificial disc replacement can only have specific types of disc deterioration in the lowest levels of the spine and cannot have poor bone quality, instability, a significant deformity or infections, tumors or cancer in the spinal area. People older than age 60 are not considered good candidates because of probable bone deterioration due to aging.

For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550
or visit find a physician online.

At St. Anthony’s, our vision is to be the area’s premier health care organization
— and your first choice for health care services.