Spine Degenerative Disc Disease

Disc degeneration is a natural process of aging. Over time, the fluid-filled discs in between the vertebra can become less flexible and provide less cushioning. When disc degeneration is severe, it can lead to pain, spine instability, or compression of the spinal cord and/or nerve roots with resulting weakness, numbness or pain.

There are many alternatives to surgery for patients with degenerative disc disease. Washington University neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons at Barnes-Jewish Hospital typically recommend pain management and physical therapy treatments first, often with good results.

When surgery is needed, there are a variety of surgical options available depending on the patient’s symptoms, examination findings and radiographic findings.

Instead of relying on restrictive spinal fusions to correct disc degeneration in the neck, Spine Center surgeons are advancing the use of artificial disc replacements. Drs. Paul Santiago and Neill Wright have been actively involved in clinical trials to study the efficacy of artificial cervical disc surgery.

Physician Specialists – Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease

• Jacob Buchowski, MD, orthopedic surgery

• Ian Dorward, MD, neurosurgery

• Matthew Goodwin, MD, PhD, FACSM, orthopedic surgery

• Jacob Greenber,g MD, neurosurgery

• Munish Gupta, MD, orthopedic surgery

• Dan Hafez, MD, neurosurgery

• Camilo Molina, MD, neurosurgery

• Brian Neuman, MD, orthopedic surgery

• John Ogunlade, MD, neurosurgery

• Nicholas Pallotta, MD, MS, orthopedic surgery

• Brenton Pennicooke, MD, neurosurgery

• Wilson Zack Ray, MD, neurosurgery

• Kumar Vasudevan, MD, neurosurgery

Physican Specialists – Thoracic and Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

• Jacob Buchowski, MD, orthopedic surgery

• Ian Dorward, MD, neurosurgery

• Matthew Goodwin, MD, PhD, FACSM, orthopedic surgery

• Jacob Greenberg, MD, neurosurgery

• Munish Gupta, MD, orthopedic surgery

• Dan Hafez, MD, neurosurgery

• Camilo Molina, MD, neurosurgery

• Brian Neuman, MD, orthopedic surgery

• John Ogunlade, MD, neurosurgery

• Nicholas Pallotta, MD, MS, orthopedic surgery

• Brenton Pennicooke, MD, neurosurgery

• Wilson Zack Ray, MD, neurosurgery

• Kumar Vasudevan, MD, neurosurgery

For a referral to a Washington University neurosurgeon or orthopedic spine surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call 888.998.7218.