Intervertebral Implants for Fixation and Disc Replacement

Abstract

This chapter covers the Hastings approach and surgical background in relation to intradiscal implants for both immobilisation and prosthetic substitution of the disc. This Centre is committed to the principle of minimal intervention surgery where possible. Elaborate posterior operations may produce permanent deficiency of the posterior musculature, and anterior surgery is potentially hazardous. Two surgical approaches are employed, namely blind percutaneous postero-lateral access and postero-medial minimal intervention fenestration (MIF) (Fig. 1). These will now be described.