Artificial, disc, replacement, lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement Procedure, Anterior View

Description

Lumbar artificial disc replacement at L5 to S1 is centered in the lower anterior spine, with the prosthetic disc seated between the inferior endplate of L5 and the superior endplate of the sacral base. The anterior faces of the vertebral bodies are oriented toward the viewer, allowing the implant’s position to be judged relative to the midline and the margins of the vertebral endplates. Superiorly, the L5 vertebral body frames the cranial component of the device, while inferiorly the S1 segment of the sacrum supports the caudal component. Implant alignment is the story here. Anterior lumbar access is the common corridor for L5 to S1 arthroplasty, and the fixed anterior perspective helps communicate what surgeons aim for once the disc space is prepared: centered placement, symmetric coverage, and restoration of disc height without overhang. Those details matter because malposition can translate into facet joint overload, residual foraminal stenosis, or implant subsidence into the vertebral endplates. Vascular proximity also defines the operative risk profile at this level; the left common iliac vein, iliac bifurcation, and presacral venous plexus lie immediately anterior to the target, and the anterior view supports teaching of why exposure and retraction strategy are so specific for L5 to S1. Small errors have consequences. Use this illustration in spine surgery atlases, device education materials, and resident teaching modules covering anterior lumbar interbody approaches and motion-preserving alternatives to fusion at L5 to S1. It also fits lectures on degenerative disc disease, adjacent segment considerations, and postoperative radiographic assessment of disc arthroplasty position. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.