After years of research an alternative to spinal fusion surgery, artificial disc replacement system is developed. It is a procedure that involves replacing a painful disc that is causing chronic back pain with an artificial disc that provides pain relief without compromising the spine's natural anatomical structure. It can be performed either on the lower back or on the neck. Artificial discs are structurally similar to the damaged discs that are replaced and share similar functions, including acting as shock absorbers in the back or neck. 

Artificial disk replacement system is superior to spinal-fusion surgery in relieving chronic pain and improving patient quality of life, and it resulted in fewer reoperations, according to 2 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigational device exemption prospective randomized multicenter studies presented here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2009 Annual Meeting. Both studies also showed that patients experienced greater satisfaction with surgery results with the artificial disc than with spinal fusion. Artificial disk replacement system is far superior as compare to spinal fusion in many ways:

•           Spinal fusion surgery does not involve an artificial disc being implanted into the spine, as does artificial disc replacement surgery. The aim of spinal fusion surgery, besides to reduce pain and suffering in the patient due to a herniated disc, is to fuse two or more vertebrae together to make a single solid section of spine. The bone is taken from elsewhere on the patient’s body, or, to reduce the amount of surgery and pain during recovery, from a bone bank. Studies have mostly shown that post-operative mobility, recovery time period, and reduced intensity of pain, are much better in an artificial disc replacement patient than in a spinal fusion patient. Though Spinal fusion surgery has been used for more years than artificial spinal disc implants, however totals spinal disc replacement surgery is showing more and more success. 

•           According to a survey spinal fusion can place stress on the vertebrae above and below the surgery area, and that those vertebrae may not stay as healthy as they would have had there been no injury in the first place, or as they would have if the surgery that had taken place was spinal disc replacement. An artificial disc implant replaces the cushioning taken out, and is thicker than the damaged cushioning that was removed.

•           Some patients who have had artificial disc implants, are ready to move and walk around, taking a shower, within just 24 hours, and are often able to go home within just 2 or 3 days. They may have a little pain associated with the surgery they underwent, but they recover much faster than spinal fusion patients who may sometimes take as long as 6 weeks before they feel comfortable walking around.

•           Spinal fusion patients are also often advised to never again do impact sports like running, whereas spinal disc replacement patients may even end up doing sports they were no longer able to do due to the back pain that crippled them.

Though artificial disk replacement is relatively new system as compare to spinal fusion, however the success rate of artificial disk replacement is far better than spinal fusion.

Resource : Artificial Disk Replacement | Cervical Fusion | Lumbar Fusion.