Every year, millions of people contend with lower back and neck discomfort. Now, Cornell University engineers in Ithaca and doctors at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York have created a biologically-based spinal implant that could spell relief for these sufferers. Their research would be published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
For patients diagnosed with severe degenerative disc disease, or herniated discs, neurosurgeons perform surgery called discectomy—removing the spinal disc—followed by a fusion of the vertebrate bones to stabilise the spine. In spite of the surgery, the patient’s back would not feel the same as before their injury. The surgery prevents pain, but often limits mobility, which may hinder one who has an active lifestyle or even end the career of a professional athlete.