title: Nuclear replacement strategies.
abstract: Although still a technology in its infancy, nuclear replacement promises a potential alternative to arthrodesis for patients with discogenic back pain. It is ideally suited to those patients presenting early in the degenerative cascade with minimal to no arthritic changes or disc collapse. The physical nature of the implants seeks to restore the visco-elastic, biomechanical, and fluid characteristics of the natural disc, thus reducing pain while maintaining motion and function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UCSF-Fresno Medical Education Program, University Medical Center, Department of Surgery/4th Floor, 445 South Cedar Avenue, Fresno, CA 93702, USA. eversosaggy@cs.com
authors.forename: H Claude
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sagi
authors.forename: Q B
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Hansen A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000601:surgery*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*