Prosthetic intervertebral disc replacement in the lumbar spine

The Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee (IPAC) has considered this procedure and NICE has issued a consultation document about its safety and efficacy. Consultation has now ended. IPAC will consider the consultation comments and produce a Final Interventional Procedures Document, which will be considered by NICE before guidance is issued to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The consultation period for this procedure closed on the 24 April 2009.

If you wish to be updated to any developments with this procedure, you can express an interest here.

As a person gets older, discs supporting the back bones can deteriorate because of wear and tear. Sometimes this causes such severe pain and disability that surgery is indicated; usually removal of the damaged disc. Prosthetic intervertebral disc replacement in the lumbar spine involves insertion of an artificial disc in the place of the damaged disc. Depending on the amount of damage, a person may have one or more discs replaced during the same operation.

Musculoskeletal
Surgical procedures

Trauma and orthopaedic surgery

• British Association of Spinal Surgeons
• British Orthopaedic Association
• British Society of Neurological Surgeons

Interventional Procedures Programme
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NA