Artificial Disk Replacement

There are many fascinating things about our progression of technology and medicine. I came across this medical advancement as I was looking for potential fixes for my own spinal pain.

A little bit of history about myself: I have a compressed disk in my lower spine that gives me intense sharp pain all day, every day.

Artificial disc replacement (ADR) surgery involves replacing a painful disc with an artificial disc. Artificial disc surgery may be performed on the lower back (lumbar spine) or the neck (cervical spine). Artificial discs are designed with the goal of mimicking the form and function of the spine's natural disc.

The reason why I bring this to the Hall of Elders, Is I would like to know what your thoughts are about ADR Surgery, if anyone knows if anyone has had it, and if you believe it is ethical for this kind of surgery to be performed.

I myself am a big fan of of medical advancement and I am quite liberal in their use. I personally believe that being able to replace a disk, in the spine, would greatly increase the mobility and longevity of people who suffer from chronic back pain from a compressed, degenerated, or slipped disk. The many advantages of this surgery would effectively eliminate anyone who is disabled due to the prior mentioned sufferings. This medical procedure has it's risks, yes, but it is also a relatively new procedure that is being lead by the London Spine Institute.

My ethical standing on this matter would only pertain to the possible risks. As of right now, there is no spine surgery that is without risk. Surgery on the spine is a chaotic and unpredictable matter. I believe that the surgery, while it would do a lot of good, is not yet ready for full scale implementation. However, as I have been reading some articles about it, I have seen that many of the former patients that have gotten this procedure done, have reported that they have increased mobility and less pain than the patients that have received Lumbar Spinal Fusion.

I'll provide some links for additional information below.

https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/artificial-disc-replacement
https://www.spine-health.com/treatm...replacement-or-spinal-fusion-which-better-you
https://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/surgery/artificial-disc-replacement-surgery

Your thoughts?

 

@Rayden413
I haven't checked HoE since the time I posted about abortion, so I never saw this.
I think in terms of ethics, this would be on the low end of it. I wouldn't be morally concerned about swapping out a bad disc, kinda like how people get those knee surgeries involving cartilage replacements.
What would rise ethical concern, would be the use of cybernetics, like in Deus Ex. That could make for an intersting discussion all of it's own.
But back to disks, I would have no issue with it. Not like you get them for fun anyway.

 

Literately just go for it. Fuck ethics, it's why we end up in sticky situations such as that sick kid in England. Talk to doctors first though.