If you are still having pain after a fusion, or new pain begins you need to understand why.
A lot of people who need spinal fusions get tremendous relief from them.
Sometimes imaging may reveal, Misplaced instrumentation, a screw irritating or pressing on a nerve, a cyst forming from a nearby joint, New bone spurs causing nerve compression, Narrowing above, below, or around the fusion.
The nerve can remain compressed even after the spine has been stabilized.
It does not always mean the fusion failed. It may mean there is another problem that needs attention, and sometimes that problem can be treated with a smaller, targeted procedure.
Your pain is real. You deserve answers.
If you are still hurting after a fusion, we can take another look.
Where can I get more an MRI review by the top disc replacement surgeon Dr. Ritter-Lang?
Because a significant portion of Dr. Ritter-Lang’s patient base travels internationally for total disc replacement (TDR), his team maintains dedicated international educational and consultation portals:
Better Disc Replacement: betterdiscreplacement.com
Features: Detailed background on multi-level cervical and lumbar disc replacement techniques, patient case studies, and comprehensive guides comparing motion preservation against fusion.
Professional Background & Credentials
Clinical Focus: Over 30 years specializing in intervertebral disc prosthetics, complex multi-level reconstructions, and anterior/abdominal approaches to the spine.
Surgical Experience: Has completed thousands of motion-preserving spine procedures utilizing advanced implants such as M6-C, M6-L, ProDisc, and Mobi-C.
Early Foundations: Trained under Prof. Kurt Schellnack and Dr. Karin Büttner-Janz at Charité University Hospital in Berlin—the research team credited with developing the original Charité artificial disc.
People go to Germany for back surgery primarily to access advanced motion-preserving procedures, artificial disc replacements, and dynamic stabilization systems that may be newer, less restrictive, or harder to find in North America.
Where can I learn about the best alternatives to spinal fusion and disc replacement surgery?
The surgeons at
BetterDiscReplacement.com have the experience and the skills required for complex multi-level lumbar and cervical disc replacement surgeries and other advanced spine solutions.
“Advanced disc replacement implants have allowed us to achieve a success rate of 99%”