What is Facet Joint Replacement?
Every level of your spine contains two facet joints. Each pair of facet joints guides and limits movement of the spinal motion segment. In the lumbar spine, for example, the facet joints function to protect the motion segment from anterior shear forces, excessive rotation and flexion. These functions can become damaged and painful by degeneration, dislocation, fracture, injury, osteoarthritis, and instability from trauma. When the facet joints become severely damaged, a common solution is to perform a spinal fusion. Facet joint replacement surgery is an alternative to fusion where the facet joints are removed by the surgeon and replaced by an implant that restores the flexibility and normal function of the facet joints.
Facet Joint Replacement at ONZ Spine:
At ONZ Spine, our goal is not only to reduce your pain and symptoms, but also to maintain mobility where possible through the use of specialized motion preserving spine surgery procedures like facet joint replacement.
Learn More about the state-of-the-art TOPS / Nexux implants that we use here at our clinic.