Get your surgery for free by claiming a refund from your local health board. The clinic helps patients with the documents needed to claim a refund after following the EU directive route for medical treatment abroad. It applies to patients who are insured under the systems of one of the EU countries and may not get the surgery due to long waiting times.
The rehabilitation centre is located at a SPA resort town called Druskininkai. It is equipped with modern facilities. The professionals there have years of experience working with people after various surgeries and injuries.
Rehabilitation in Lithuania – from € 130 / £ 116 per day
An individual rehabilitation program is prepared for each patient depending on the type of surgery, general patient‘s well-being, health status and other factors.
Our clinic works with highly professional and educated surgeons. They have 10-20 years of experience in the field of orthopaedic surgery. They each perform 500 surgeries per year. Moreover, our surgeons are members of various prestigious surgical societies both Lithuanian and international. Our joint replacement surgeon S. Tarasevicius is an author of 150 scientific publications in different medical journals. Find more information about our surgeons here.
Our clinic works according to the highest standards set by the European Union. This helps to guarantee the quality of medical service.
During your entire stay in Lithuania you will receive personal care as well as transport to and from the clinic, hotel, and airport. You will not have to worry about a thing. You will be assisted from the moment of plane landing in Vilnius or Kaunas airport till your departure.
We have no waiting line so we can schedule your surgery as soon as you are ready to do so.
Everyone in our clinic speaks English, including nurses, assistants and the surgeon.
2-3 hour regular flights operate from all main airports in the UK & Ireland. Lithuania is closer than you thought. You can find the list of direct flights here. Please note that airlines constantly add new flights and new destinations, therefore feel free to contact us if you need help choosing the flight that suits you best.
Lithuania has been a part of the EU and NATO since 2004. Lithuania has one of the fastest growing economies in the whole region and the second fastest internet speed in the world. Lithuanian medical schools have trained many medical professionals who are highly appreciated and employed by many foreign hospitals, among which hospitals in the UK. Our clinic works according to the highest standards set to the medical institutions by the European Union.
Artificial disc replacement is a spinal surgery that includes removal of the damaged intervertebral disc and replacement with an artificial one. It is a modern surgical technique designed to reduce back pain caused by degenerative disc disease in cervical and lumbar parts of the spine.
This technique was developed as an alternative to another spinal surgery called spinal fusion.
Aching back is a very common problem affecting approximately 8 of 10 people at some point of their lives. One of the most common causes of lower back pain is degenerative or herniated intervertebral disc. Intervertebral disc is a jelly-like material surrounded by stronger fibrous material. These discs lie between the vertebrae and serve like shock absorbers when we move. However, during the aging process, discs wear out and are no longer able to function. As a result of it, back pain occurs.
Artificial disc replacement requires anterior approach which means that the incision is made in the abdominal region. The length of the incision is about 3-8 cm (1-3 inches) and it is made to the left of the belly button. When a surgeon reaches the spine of a patient, he or she removes the diseased or damaged intervertebral disc. Then the surgeon inserts two metal endplates in the space between the vertebrae and affixes them in a proper position. Once this is done, a plastic core is inserted between these metal endplates to allow them to move.
The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia and it takes approximately 2-3 hours.
Artificial disc replacement requires 2 – 4 days hospital stay. Usually patients are encouraged to stand and walk at the first day after the surgery. It is recommended not to twist or bend at the waist and to avoid heavy lifting (more than 2 kilograms or 5 pounds) for 2-4 weeks after surgery. Recovery period varies from patient to patient and may take from a few weeks to a few months.
Additionally, it is very important to have realistic expectations of the surgery. Artificial disc replacement can significantly reduce back pain and increase quality of life. However, it probably will not eliminate the pain completely.
As with any surgery, there are some possible risks related to artificial disc replacement. They include infection, injury to blood vessels or nerves, thrombosis and abdominal wall hematoma (localized swelling that is filled with blood). There is also a risk of revision surgery due to dislocation of the implant or wear of the plastic core.