| Acute pain |
Coming on quickly and severely. Lasts for a short duration of time. |
| ALIF |
Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion – a surgical procedure where the spine is approached from the front of the body to remove damaged disc material and place an implant between two vertebrae in an effort to cause bone to form and fuse together. |
| Chronic pain |
Long-lasting or frequently occurring. |
| Disc (intervertebral) |
The cushioning tissue between two vertebrae. |
| Disc degeneration |
The loss of the structural and functional integrity of the disc. |
| Degenerative disc disease |
A progressive disorder that leads to loss of function. Produces clinical symptoms (such as loss of cushioning between the vertebrae) and signs (pain and/or deformity changes). |
| Discectomy |
Partial or complete excision of the intervertebral disc. |
| Dissection |
Separation by cutting away or apart. |
| Facet joint |
Synovial joint between articular processes of the vertebrae. |
| Fracture |
Break or fissure in the bone. |
| Fusion |
The union of two vertebral bodies to become one. |
| Herniated disc |
A rupture of fibrocartilage of the disc between two vertebrae, occurring most often in the lumbar region. When a disc ruptures, there is a lack of cushioning between the vertebrae, resulting in pressure on spinal nerves, causing pain. |
| Laminectomy |
Excision of the lamina or posterior arch of a vertebra. |
| MAS® System |
The NuVasive minimally disruptive surgical platform creating Maximum Access Surgery to allow surgeons access to the spine in a unique minimally disruptive fashion, yet still allow the visibility and access an open approach offers. |
| Nerve impingement |
Abnormal pressure on a nerve, causing compression. This can lead to nerve damage and muscle weakness. |
| NeuroVision® |
The NuVasive revolutionary nerve avoidance monitoring system to improve the safety of spine surgery. |
| NuVasive® |
NuVasive is a medical device company focused on the design, development, and marketing of products for the surgical treatment of spine disorders. |
| Osteophyte |
An overgrowth of bone in response to injury. |
| Osteoporosis |
Diminished levels of both the mineral and matrix components of bone. As a result, bone becomes porous and less dense. |
| PLIF |
Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion – a surgical procedure where the spine is approached from the back of the body to remove damaged disc material and place an implant between two vertebrae in an effort to cause bone to form and fuse together. |
| Radiating pain |
Pain spreading from a focus or point of origin. Example: pain in the back can also spread/radiate into the legs. |
| Radiculopathy |
Pain referring into extremities, usually radiating down the arms or legs. |
| Retraction |
Pulling away or holding apart. |
| Scoliosis |
An abnormal right-left curvature in the spine. |
| Spinal stenosis |
Reduction in size of the spinal canal or intervertebral foramen to a pathologic degree. |
| Spondylolisthesis |
Anterior displacement of a vertebra on the adjacent vertebra below. |
| TLIF |
Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion – a surgical procedure where the spine is approached from one side of the back of the body to remove damaged disc material and place an implant between two vertebrae in an effort to cause bone to form and fuse together. |
| XLIF® |
eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion – an MIS surgical procedure where the spine is approached from the side of the body to remove damaged disc material and place an implant between two vertebrae in an effort to cause bone to form and fuse together. |
