Artificial disc brings increased mobility and rapid recovery to patients suffering chronic neck pain in the Midwest

Saint Luke's Neurosurgeon performs first Bryan Disc surgery in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For many years cervical fusion was the only surgical option for patients suffering from chronic neck pain or single cervical disc degeneration.  The recent creation and approval of artificial discs have offered patients a new treatment option which allows greater mobility and range of motion and dramatically improved recovery times.  However, these initial artificial discs utilized hardware such as screws and pins.

On Nov. 13, 2012, H. Dennis Mollman, M.D., Ph.D. of Saint Luke's Neuroscience Institute of Kansas City, performed the first Bryan Disc surgery in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa, offering patients in the Midwest a new option for dealing with chronic neck pain. The Bryan Disc is an artificial cervical disc replacement which requires no hardware and can simply slide in and replace the patient's damaged natural disc.

"In the past cervical fusion was the standard treatment option," said Dr. Mollman, "Fusing the bones together limited range of motion and generally required a three month recovery as we waited for the bones to grow together.  The Bryan Disc allows patients to retain or regain range of motion and most are back to their normal activities within two weeks, a vastly improved recovery time."

As opposed to a lengthy cervical fusion surgery of four to six hours, the Bryan Disc surgery takes approximately 45 minutes. Patients generally leave the hospital the next day.  According to Dr. Mollman, these factors, coupled with the fact the Bryan Disc more closely resembles the patient's own natural disc, make it an appealing treatment option for patients considering cervical fusion or disc replacement.

More information about Dr. Mollman and the Bryan Disc can be found at https://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/docoffice/saint-luke-s-neurosurgery-clinic and http://wwwp.medtronic.com/Newsroom/NewsReleaseDetails.do?itemId=1244730407543&lang=en_US respectively.

About the Saint Luke's Neuroscience Institute

Saint Luke's Neuroscience Institute, a member of Saint Luke's Health System, is a global leader in utilizing both drug and mechanical interventions to block and reverse the permanent and debilitating effects of acute strokes. Its legacy of innovation began in 1993 when doctors performed one of the world's first intra-arterial stroke reversal procedures. Since then, Saint Luke's specialists have continued to pioneer new stroke therapies and reverse stroke's debilitating effects for thousands of patients, and is one of the world's most experienced and prolific leaders in the use of tPA, a clot-busting medication for treatment of acute ischemic stroke.   SLNI, headquartered in Kansas City,  brings together a team of the country's most accomplished neurologists to provide a comprehensive treatment center for the most complex neurological issues.

SOURCE Saint Luke's Health System