Mike Hewitt, a 55-year-old retired Air Force veteran, didn’t think he would be able to enjoy running, golfing or even playing with his 12 grandchildren again. For over two decades, he lived with chronic back pain from an injury sustained in 1998. Despite years of physical therapy and treatments, including steroid injections and neck surgery, his pain persisted. But now, thanks to a groundbreaking lumbar disc replacement performed by Dr. Justin Clark of Great Lakes Neurosurgical Associates at University of Michigan Health-West Hospital, Hewitt is regaining his quality of life.
Hewitt’s journey to recovery began with a procedure using Centinel Spine’s prodisc® L Total Disc Replacement (TDR) technology. This technique offers a surgical alternative to spinal fusions, which often limit mobility. Instead, the TDR technology maintains motion in the spine, reducing adjacent-level degeneration and the need for future surgeries. A five-year comparative study showed that patients receiving the prodisc® L replacement had a three times lower likelihood of adjacent level degeneration compared to those who underwent fusion surgery.
Dr. Clark performed the lumbar disc replacement surgery in February 2024 at UM Health-West. “I had read of several professional athletes having disc replacement, with Peyton Manning first coming to mind. He had to fly to Europe for this surgery. It’s great we now have this technology and options here locally in Grand Rapids,” Hewitt said.
Initially, Hewitt experienced pain for two weeks post-surgery, but it gradually lessened. Now, he is optimistic about his recovery. “The nerves in my back have been firing for 25 years, so it’s going to take some time for them to return to normal, but we’re making progress,” he said. Hewitt has noticed significant improvements in his range of motion and daily functionality. “I can move and function a lot better now. I’m doing stuff around the house and yard work”, he said.
For Hewitt, the disc replacement has been life changing. “The limitations on my movement have significantly improved I used to have constant pain shooting down my leg and into my foot. It’s a lot better now.” Looking forward as physical therapy progresses, he is hopeful to return to activities he once enjoyed, such as running and golfing. He is especially excited about staying active with his 12 grandchildren when they visit.
Dr. Clark emphasized the advantages of this procedure, particularly its potential to enhance patients’ quality of life. “With the continual improvement in insurance coverage, more of my patients will be able to benefit from disc replacement technology,” he said. “Using a minimally invasive anterior approach, my patients also benefit from a much faster recovery and return to active life, while decreasing the likelihood of adjacent level degeneration.”
The prodisc® L system received one-level FDA approval in 2006 and, since 2020, is the only total disc replacement device in the U.S. approved for two-level use in the lumbar spine. Recent expanded insurance coverage for lumbar TDR with the prodisc® L device has further facilitated patient access to this advanced treatment.
For more information about total disc replacements or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Justin Clark, visit greatlakesneuro.com or call (616) 454-3465.
