Don’t Settle
for a Rigid Spine
Chronic low back pain does not have to mean giving up movement. Lumbar disc replacement is designed to relieve pain while preserving the motion your spine was meant to have.
Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement in San Antonio: Maintain Your Motion
If you have been told that a spinal fusion is your only option for chronic back or leg pain, there is a modern alternative designed to keep you moving. Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) is a motion-preserving procedure that replaces a worn-out, painful disc with a high-tech implant that mimics your natural anatomy.
Are you experiencing chronic back or leg pain?
If you’ve found your way to this page, you’re likely dealing with much more than a "bad back". You’re likely living with that deep, gnawing ache or the sharp, electric shocks that shoot from your lower spine down through your hips and into your legs. In my San Antonio clinic, I see patients every day who describe this exact struggle. The root of the problem is almost always the cushions in your lower spine, your lumbar discs. These discs are meant to be healthy, white "shock absorbers" between your vertebrae, but much like the tires on a car, they eventually wear out, turn dark on an MRI, and lose their ability to support you.
Signs Your "Cushions" Are Failing
When these discs deteriorate, they begin to collapse, leading to painful bone-on-bone contact. As they flatten, the disc material can protrude or "spit out," causing severe narrowing in your spinal canal and placing direct pressure on your nerve roots. This is typically diagnosed as Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD), Spinal Stenosis, or Nerve Impingement.
If your symptoms sound like these, LumbAr Artificial Disc Replacement might be the right solution:
Radiating Leg Pain: Sharp, electric, or shooting pain that travels from the low back down into the legs.
Deep Aching or Sharp Back Pain: Persistent discomfort in the lower spine that has failed to improve with conservative treatments.
Nerve Impingement: A sensation of pressure or "pinching" caused by a disc protrusion pushing on nerve roots, such as the S1 nerve.
Reduced Mobility: Difficulty moving or staying active due to the "bone-on-bone" sensation caused by a collapsed disc
Underlying Conditions
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD): When the cushions in your low back wear out, turn dark on an MRI, and lose their height.
Spinal Stenosis: A tightening or narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses the nerves.
Disc Protrusion or Herniation: When the internal material of the disc "spits out" and presses against the spinal cord or nerve roots.
The Advantages of Moving Over Fusing
Preservation of Motion: Unlike a fusion that eliminates movement at the surgical site, an artificial disc mimics the natural function of a healthy spine, allowing you to maintain flexibility and range of motion.
Protection of Your "Good" Discs: In a spinal fusion, the levels above and below the fused segment have to work harder to compensate for the lack of movement, which can lead to "adjacent segment disease" or future wear-and-tear. ADR reduces this stress, protecting the rest of your spine.
Accelerated Recovery: Because we aren't waiting for two bones to grow together (a process that can take 6 to 12 months), the recovery for a disc replacement is significantly faster. Most patients are back to their daily activities within 4 to 6 weeks.
Minimally Invasive Approach: Dr. Webb utilizes a specialized vascular surgeon to provide a safe, direct path to the spine through the abdomen. This avoids cutting through the heavy muscles of the back, leading to less post-operative pain.
Walk the Same Day: Most of our patients are up and walking within hours of their procedure.
“Today, I have zero back pain, I’m back to moving confidently, and I feel like I gained years back in my life.”
A Precision Approach To Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement
Meet Dr. Antonio Webb
"My philosophy is simple: Move, Not Fuse. I believe surgery should enhance your life, not limit it." Dr. Webb’s expertise in motion preservation allows him to offer solutions that many general surgeons overlook. Trained at the world-renowned Texas Back Institute, he focuses on the latest technology to ensure his patients stay active and pain-free.
Not Sure if You’re a Candidate for Lumbar Disc Replacement vs. Fusion?
Every spine is unique. If you’ve been told you aren’t a candidate for ADR elsewhere, or if you want a second opinion on a recommended spinal fusion, we are here to help. Upload your imaging for a preliminary review by our specialist team.
What Dr. Webb’s Patients Are Saying
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