Artificial Disc Replacement in Glendora

If you live in Glendora and you have been told you need a spinal fusion for chronic neck or low back pain, it is worth knowing that fusion is not always the only option. Artificial disc replacement (ADR) is a motion-preserving alternative that, for the right patient, can relieve the same pain without permanently locking the spine. Dr. Kambiz Hannani's office in West Covina is roughly seven miles southwest of downtown Glendora — a 12 to 15 minute drive down the 210 to the 57, or along Arrow Highway and Citrus Avenue if you prefer to skip the freeway. For Glendora residents who do not want to fight LA traffic to see a Westside or Beverly Hills spine surgeon, that short drive matters.

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 two decades. Many of his Glendora patients first heard about him from a neighbor in North Glendora, a coworker at Citrus College, or their primary care doctor at Emanate Health Foothill Presbyterian Hospital. The pattern is consistent: people want a careful second opinion close to home before agreeing to a fusion.

This page is a plain-English overview of artificial disc replacement, who it is for, who it is not for, and what to expect if you come in from Glendora for a consultation.

What is Artificial Disc Replacement?

Between every two vertebrae in your spine sits a disc — a soft cushion that absorbs shock and lets you bend, twist, and lift. 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 unit. Fusion works, but it eliminates motion at that level, which often shifts extra stress onto 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 otherwise 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.

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, 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 Glendora Choose Dr. Hannani for Disc Replacement

The most practical reason Glendora patients pick Dr. Hannani is geography. His West Covina office is essentially the closest experienced motion-preserving spine practice for most Glendora residents — much closer than the academic centers in Westwood or downtown LA, and without the traffic. For a procedure that involves multiple pre-op visits, the surgery itself, and several follow-ups, that short drive adds up.

The second reason is hospital access. Dr. Hannani has surgical privileges at Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital in Covina, which is just down the 210 from Glendora. For most Glendora patients undergoing cervical or lumbar disc replacement, that is the surgical site, and family can be at the hospital within minutes of a phone call. The third reason is clinical: Dr. Hannani trained in orthopedic surgery at UCLA and has performed both cervical and lumbar disc replacements for over two decades — long enough to have honest, calibrated opinions about who genuinely benefits from the procedure and who is better served by a different approach.

Getting to Our Office From Glendora

From most Glendora addresses, the fastest route is the 210 West to the 57 South, then the 10 East one exit to Azusa Avenue — typically 12 to 15 minutes outside of rush hour. If the freeways are slow, the local route along Arrow Highway and Citrus Avenue south to Cameron is reliable and adds only a few minutes. The office is on the west side of West Covina with free patient parking on site. From downtown Glendora Village it is roughly seven miles each way; from the North Glendora foothills it is closer to nine.

A Glendora Patient's Story

A retired teacher in her early sixties from the North Glendora area came in after a year of progressively worsening neck pain and right-arm numbness that had stopped her from gardening, driving comfortably on the 210, and even sleeping through the night. Two surgeons had recommended a two-level cervical fusion. Her MRI showed a single bad disc at C5-C6 with a smaller bulge above — and on careful review, the upper level was not actually the pain generator. She underwent a single-level cervical artificial disc replacement at Emanate Health, went home the next morning, was off narcotics by the end of the week, and was back to gardening at six weeks. The motion at her neck was preserved, and the second level she had been told needed fusing was left alone. Outcomes vary, and not every patient is a candidate — but this is the kind of case where ADR genuinely changes the trajectory.

Who is a Candidate?

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 — 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.

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: typically 1 to 2 nights in the hospital, walking the next morning, and light activity at 4 to 6 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions From Glendora Patients

How long is the drive from Glendora to your West Covina office? About 12 to 15 minutes outside of rush hour. The fastest route is 210 West to 57 South to 10 East. If the freeways are jammed, Arrow Highway south to Citrus Avenue is a reliable backup that runs about 18 minutes. Total distance is roughly seven miles.

Can my surgery be done at Emanate Health Foothill Presbyterian Hospital or Emanate Health? Dr. Hannani's primary surgical privileges in your area are at Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital in Covina, which is closer to Glendora than most LA hospitals. That is where most Glendora ADR patients have their procedures performed. He does not currently operate at Emanate Health Foothill Presbyterian Hospital, but Emanate Health is a short drive south on the 210 from Glendora and family can be at the hospital quickly.

Do you take the insurance plans common in the Glendora area? Yes — we accept most major PPO and Medicare plans used by patients in the East San Gabriel Valley, including the plans most local employers and retirees carry. Cervical disc replacement is now covered by most major California insurance plans when medical necessity is documented; lumbar ADR coverage is reviewed case-by-case. Our office handles pre-authorization on your behalf — call us with your card and we will verify before your visit.

How long do artificial discs actually last? Modern FDA-approved cervical and lumbar discs have published 7- and 10-year follow-up data showing excellent durability. They are designed to last decades, and revision surgery for a worn-out implant is uncommon in the published series.

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 and saves you a second trip down the 210.