Artificial Disc Replacement in Arcadia

Patients in Arcadia who have been told they need a spinal fusion deserve to know there is often a less invasive, motion-preserving alternative — and that getting a thorough second opinion is roughly a 20-minute drive from home. Dr. Kambiz Hannani's spine practice sits about 13 miles southwest of Arcadia in West Covina, easily reached via the 210 East to the 605 South to the 10 East. For Arcadia residents who have spent years researching specialists, comparing approaches, and reading about adjacent segment disease, that short drive often turns into a meaningful change in treatment plan.

Many of the Arcadia patients who walk into the office for an artificial disc replacement (ADR) consultation arrive after an evaluation at one of the larger nearby systems — USC Arcadia Hospital, Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, or City of Hope in Duarte — where they were told fusion was their only option. Sometimes that is correct. Often, it is not. ADR has been performed in the United States for nearly two decades now, and the long-term data on motion preservation continues to favor it for the right patient.

Dr. Hannani is a board-certified spine surgeon who has performed both cervical and lumbar disc replacement procedures for patients across the San Gabriel Valley for more than 20 years. The goal of any first visit is the same: an honest read on whether ADR, fusion, an endoscopic procedure, or no surgery at all is the right next step for your spine.

What is Artificial Disc Replacement?

Between every two vertebrae in your spine sits a disc — a soft, shock-absorbing cushion that lets your spine bend, twist, and absorb load. When a disc wears out, dries out, or herniates, the result is often pain, nerve compression, weakness, and stiffness. The traditional surgical answer has been spinal fusion: remove the bad disc and bolt the two vertebrae together so they move as one. Fusion works, but it eliminates motion at that level, which can place extra stress on the levels above and below over the following years.

Artificial disc replacement is the alternative. The damaged disc is removed and replaced with an FDA-approved mechanical implant — typically a metal-and-polyethylene device — that preserves the natural motion of the spine. The patient keeps the ability to bend and rotate at that level, and the surrounding discs are spared the extra wear-and-tear they would absorb after a fusion.

ADR vs. Spinal Fusion: The Real Difference

For the right patient, ADR offers meaningful advantages over fusion:

• Motion is preserved. The treated level still bends and rotates, which feels more natural and reduces the risk of adjacent segment disease — the long-term breakdown of the discs above and below a fusion.

• Faster return to normal activity. There is no waiting for bones to fuse together. Many patients are walking the same day and back to desk work within 2 to 4 weeks.

• No bone graft harvest. Fusion often requires harvesting bone from the hip; ADR does not.

• Lower long-term re-operation risk at adjacent levels. Multiple long-term studies (5 and 10 years) now show ADR patients are less likely to need a second surgery at a neighboring disc compared with fusion patients.

Fusion still has its place — particularly for patients with significant instability, prior failed surgery, or severe arthritis at the facet joints. The right operation is the one that fits your spine, and that determination requires a careful in-person evaluation with imaging.

Cervical (Neck) vs. Lumbar (Low Back) Disc Replacement

Cervical disc replacement is the more common of the two procedures. It is most often used for patients with arm pain, numbness, or weakness from a herniated or degenerated cervical disc that has not improved with non-surgical care. The procedure is done through a small incision in the front of the neck (anterior approach), the diseased disc is removed, and the artificial disc is implanted in its place. Most patients go home the same day or after one night in the hospital.

Lumbar disc replacement is reserved for a narrower group — typically younger patients with isolated single-level degenerative disc disease in the low back, no significant facet arthritis, and no prior fusion. The lumbar implant is placed through an anterior approach (through the abdomen), which avoids cutting through back muscles and tends to result in less post-operative back pain than a posterior fusion.

Why Patients in Arcadia Choose Dr. Hannani for Artificial Disc Replacement

Arcadia patients tend to do their homework. They read the published outcome data, they compare device manufacturers, they ask about the surgeon's case volume, and they want to understand why a recommendation is being made — not just what it is. That fits well with how Dr. Hannani practices. Consultations are unhurried, imaging is reviewed together on screen, and the conversation includes the alternatives you did not bring up. Many patients schedule the visit specifically as a second opinion after being told fusion was their only path forward.

The other reason Arcadia patients make the short drive is convenience relative to expertise. There are spine surgeons closer to home, but motion-preserving disc replacement requires specific training, ongoing case volume, and comfort with the anterior approach. Patients from the Highlands, Baldwin Stocker, Santa Anita, Upper Rancho, Lower Rancho, and adjacent neighborhoods including Sierra Madre, Monrovia, San Marino, Temple City, and Duarte regularly travel to West Covina for that combination of experience and unhurried evaluation.

Getting to Our Office from Arcadia

Dr. Hannani's office is in West Covina, about 13 miles southwest of Arcadia. The most common route is the 210 East to the 605 South to the 10 East, a drive that typically takes 20 to 25 minutes outside of rush hour. Free patient parking is available on site. If you are coming from north Arcadia near the Arboretum or Santa Anita Park, the drive is on the longer end of that range; from south Arcadia near Live Oak it is closer to 18 minutes. Bring any prior MRI or X-ray imaging on disc — this lets Dr. Hannani give you a meaningful opinion at the first visit.

A Patient Story

A 47-year-old physician from Arcadia came in for a second opinion after being told he needed a two-level cervical fusion for arm pain and hand numbness that had been getting worse for a year. He had stopped operating because his right hand was no longer reliable. After review of his imaging and exam, he turned out to be a candidate for a two-level cervical disc replacement instead — preserving motion at both levels. He was discharged the next morning, off narcotics within three days, and back in the operating room himself just under six weeks later.

Who is a Candidate for Artificial Disc Replacement?

Not every patient with disc pain is a candidate for ADR. The best candidates generally:

• Have pain originating from a single damaged disc (or two adjacent discs)

• Have failed at least 6 weeks of non-surgical treatment (physical therapy, medications, injections)

• Do not have severe arthritis at the small joints behind the disc (facet joints)

• Do not have significant osteoporosis

• Have not had a prior fusion at the same level

• Are typically between 18 and 60 years old, though older healthy patients can sometimes qualify

A thorough work-up — including current MRI, dynamic X-rays, and a physical examination — is the only way to know for sure. Patients who are not ADR candidates are not stuck: there are excellent fusion, decompression, and minimally invasive endoscopic options available.

What Recovery Looks Like

Cervical ADR patients are usually walking the same day, eating dinner that night, and home within 24 hours. Most are off narcotic pain medication within a week, driving within 2 weeks, and back to a desk job within 2 to 4 weeks. Heavy labor and contact sports are restricted for about 3 months.

Lumbar ADR recovery is slightly longer because of the abdominal approach. Patients typically stay 1 to 2 nights in the hospital, walk the next morning, and return to light activity in 4 to 6 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions from Arcadia Patients

How long is the drive from Arcadia to West Covina? About 20 to 25 minutes via the 210 East to the 605 South to the 10 East, depending on traffic and which part of Arcadia you are coming from. Free patient parking is available on site.

Can I have my surgery at USC Arcadia Hospital? Dr. Hannani's primary surgical privileges are at Emanate Health, where the majority of his cases are scheduled. Coordinating a procedure at USC Arcadia Hospital (formerly Methodist Hospital of Southern California) can sometimes be arranged on a case-by-case basis depending on insurance and the specific operation. We will tell you honestly what is and is not feasible at the first visit.

Do you take USC-affiliated insurance plans? The office accepts most major California PPO plans, including many USC-affiliated networks, and Medicare. Coverage for cervical and lumbar disc replacement varies by plan — our staff will run a benefits check and provide a clear pre-authorization summary before anything is scheduled.

How long do artificial discs last? Modern FDA-approved cervical and lumbar discs have published 7- and 10-year follow-up data showing excellent durability. The implants are designed to last decades.

How do I schedule a consultation? Call our office at 626-939-5900 or visit our contact page. Bring any prior MRI or X-ray imaging on disc if you have it — this lets Dr. Hannani give you a meaningful opinion at the first visit.