CentraState - Healthy Directions

Pain-Free PROGNOSIS A ccording to Mercer County resident Dylan Kiner, the pain in his neck and on the right side of his body started about 20 years ago. "I never knew the cause, which made it hard for doctors to diagnose and treat, but it would come and go and involve everything from sharp pain and constant muscle spasms to tingling and twitching," the 46-year-old graphic designer shares. Though doctors ultimately narrowed Dylan's symptoms down to a spine and nerve-related issue, he still struggled to manage the pain day to day. "Over time, my condition increasingly affected my functionality and I got tired from always pressing through the pain and having to focus on pain management," he says. "I realized that I had to do something because I'm right-handed and I was starting to lose strength on my right side." Four years earlier, Dylan had seen Mark McLaughlin, MD, medical director of neurosurgery at CentraState Medical Center and founder and partner at Princeton Brain and Spine Center, for a spine-related surgery on his back, and had had a very positive experience, so he elected to meet with Dr. McLaughlin again for input on his condition. Dr. McLaughlin suggested a relatively new procedure, one that held the promise of a great outcome for Dylan and for which Dylan proved an ideal candidate. A MINIMALLY INVASIVE NEW OPTION "Dylan suffered from a herniated disc in his neck that caused referred pain in his arm and hand," Dr. McLaughlin explains. "We tried to manage him conservatively with shots and exercises, but it just wasn't helping. Fortunately, the science of treatment evolved during the time I was seeing him and a newer spine technology became available called a cervical disc arthroplasty." According to Dr. McLaughlin, "The standard treatment for Dylan's condition has been a fusion of the bones with a metallic plate, which has a good success rate but can take away some motion. Cervical disc arthroplasty is a disc replacement that's more of a restorative approach than a repair, and involves a metal-on-plastic device that decompresses the nerve and removes the herniation but glides and slides in such a way that it allows the neck to move more normally." After undergoing the procedure last November at CentraState, where he says he had "a great experience," Dylan says he felt the positive effects of the surgery immediately. "There was no more constant irritation of the nerve, and I could even breathe better," he explains. GIVING PATIENTS THEIR LIVES BACK "When considering neck surgery, it's important to do your homework and to consult with a neurosurgeon or a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon who's aware of the full range of options available," Dr. McLaughlin says. "We wanted Dylan's treatment to be as minimally invasive and to maintain as much of the body's normal physiology and function as possible. Based on the fact that his condition was isolated, he didn't suffer from extensive arthritis, and he was younger, Dylan was an ideal candidate for this type of disc replacement." Dr. McLaughlin notes that the procedure can also be optimal for young adults and some active patients in their 50s and 60s. "We're always striving for excellence and better outcomes through techniques that are the least disruptive to the normal mechanics of the body," he says. "It's exciting to remove an obstacle that gives a patient their life back, and so wonderful to see Dylan's full recovery and pain-free return to work and all of his usual activities." Dylan wholeheartedly agrees. "I feel great and I'm so happy to see the mobility and strength return to my right arm," he says. "Life is new again and I can look forward without pain. It feels like a fresh start." For more information about CentraState's surgical services, visit www.centrastate.com/surgery or call 866-CENTRA7 (866-236-8727). HD NEW, MINIMALLY INVASIVE CERVICAL DISC ARTHROPLASTY PROCEDURE GIVES MERCER COUNTY PATIENT A FRESH START Mark McLaughlin, MD, board-certified neurosurgeon Dylan Kiner is now living free from pain after successful cervical arthroplasty surgery at CentraState. 3 www.centrastate.com Summer 2016

• Cover