Dr. Jason Highsmith Pioneers New Technique at Trident Medical Center

For patients undergoing surgery on a herniated disc there is a 15 percent chance of recurrence with conventional surgery.  The weak spot in the disc can re-rupture resulting in continued pain and potentially requiring additional surgery.  Until recently there has been no easy way to repair the disc.

Roseanne Pierse, 64, of Murrels Inlet, SC, was one of the first patients to benefit from a new procedure brought to Charleston by neurosurgeon, Dr. Jason Highsmith.  Pierse had a fragment of her herniated disc removed at Trident Medical Center.  After Dr. Highsmith removed the portion of Pierse’s disc that was compressing the nerve, he then applied a patch to help repair the disc wall. Trident Medical Center is the first hospital in Charleston to offer the new procedure called Annular Disc Repair.  Dr. Highsmith was able to close the hole in the disc and reduce her chances of further pain and more surgery.

“Repairing an injured disc is a much better option than simply leaving it to heal on its own,” says Dr. Highsmith who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery.  “Discs that do not heal on their own may re-rupture or collapse further and could lead to additional surgery including fusion.”  

According to Dr. Highsmith this Anular Disc Repair procedure adds minimal time to the overall procedure and carries minimal risk.  Patients, like Pierse, are usually walking the same day and commonly begin physical therapy and exercise within 10 days to two weeks.

For more information about this procedure, please contact Trident Medical Center at (843) 847-4000 or visit www.TridentHealthSystem.com.

Trident Health System is an HCA healthcare system comprised of two acute care hospitals – Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center – as well as Moncks Corner Medical Center, a 24 hour Emergency Department. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Trident Health System is committed to providing quality health services along with wellness information and opportunities to the communities it serves. For more information about Trident Health System, please visit our website at www.tridenthealthsystem.com or call 843.797.7000.