Degenerative diseases of the spine are conditions associated with the aging process. Recently, with the developments in medicine and the advancement of diagnosis and treatment methods for diseases, there has been an increase in the elderly population in society and, accordingly, there has been an increase in degenerative diseases of the spine associated with senility. In connection with this, studies on the treatment of degenerative diseases of the spine are increasing rapidly. As we age, the disc tissue between the vertebrae begins to age and the amount of fluid in it begins to decrease. With the degeneration of the disc tissue between the vertebrae, the process of degeneration (deterioration and aging) in the spine begins. After the deterioration of the disc structure, degenerations occur in the joints between the vertebrae and loosening of the joint capsules occurs. The first situations we encounter in the process of disc degeneration are tears in the annulus fibrosus tissue, which forms the outer part of the disc tissue, and disc herniations.
Degenerative disc disease progresses with the progression of annular tears and deteriorations in the internal structure of the disc. It is a painful condition. Disc herniations (herniated disc) may occur as a result of degeneration in the disc tissue; But disc herniations differ from degenerative disc disease in terms of diagnosis and treatment. If this degenerative process progresses, narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis), sliding of the vertebrae over each other (spondylolisthesis) and degenerative scoliosis may occur. The above-mentioned degenerative diseases of the spine generally progress after middle age (after 50-55 years of age) and are a very painful process. The reason that brings patients to surgery is that the patient's pain does not go away and progresses despite non-surgical treatments (such as medication, physical therapy, epidural steroid applications). This situation negatively affects the quality of life of patients. With the increase in pain, radiological pathologies in the patients' spines (slipped, scoliosis and canal stenosis) generally progress. In degenerative diseases of the spine, each patient is evaluated individually and the risks and surgical benefits are discussed in detail with the patients and their relatives at the surgical decision stage. Effective surgery to be performed as a result of decision making With the treatments, patients will experience a decrease in their pain and an increase in their quality of life.
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