THE technique of using prostheses to replace parts of the human body has been around for a while. With the successful use of implants for knee and hip replacements, interest has now inevitably shifted to the use of artificial discs to replace damaged intervertebral discs.
In the late 1980s, various implants were designed and the prosthesis used for the first total disc replacement surgery in Malaysia is the second generation of disc implants designed by a French surgeon in 1988.The implant is made up of three parts: two endplates of cobalt chrome with a coating of pure titanium, and a polyethylene inlay.
