MUSC brings spine surgery to ambulatory center in West Ashley

Three years ago, at age 42, Christopher Grace of Charleston was injured in a car accident, which caused a herniated disc in his neck. The injury led to severe neck pain, weakness in his arms, and loss of sensation, making even simple daily activities difficult.

For a period of time, conservative treatments, including steroid injections and physical therapy, provided some relief. But by 2026, these treatments were no longer effective, and Grace began to experience increasing difficulty with activities such as walking and dressing.

What Grace didn’t know at the time was that he was an excellent candidate for a procedure called cervical disc replacement. While cervical disc replacement is not appropriate for every patient, it can offer tremendous benefits but requires careful patient selection and surgical expertise. Fortunately, at the Medical University of South Carolina, orthopedic spine surgeon James Lawrence, M.D., M.B.A., has extensive experience with this procedure. Based on Grace’s age, his activity level, and overall spine health, he was an ideal candidate for this surgery—and ultimately became the first patient to undergo cervical disc replacement at MUSC’s new ambulatory surgery center at the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion.

“I asked a few people I trusted and kept hearing Dr. Lawrence has the best hands,” said Grace.

‘Perfect’ candidate

Grace underwent an MRI, which revealed spinal stenosis at the level of his injury, causing nerve compression and explaining the symptoms he was experiencing. Typically, patients with these findings are treated with a cervical fusion surgery. However, in appropriately selected patients, disc replacement may be a better option because it preserves motion in the spine. This motion preservation can reduce stress on the surrounding spinal levels and lower the risk of adjacent segment degeneration over time, and help avoid additional surgeries later on.

“In appropriate patients, disc replacement patients do better than fusion patients over the long term, and they may also have a lower risk of developing additional problems in the cervical spine over time,” said Lawrence.

“Cervical disc replacement is a surgery that I was trained in extensively and that I have a lot of experience with,” said Lawrence. “Considering Christopher’s relative youth, his very high activity and functional level and the absence of any degenerative arthritis in his neck, he’s a sort of the rare but perfect candidate for a cervical disc replacement.”

Lawrence explained that most people with cervical disc herniation don't qualify for disc replacement because they have too severe degenerative arthritis; a successful surgery requires healthy joint structures to maintain motion. Replacing a disc when adjacent joints are already affected by degenerative arthritis may not relieve symptoms and can worsen outcomes. The implant requires functional facet joints to stabilize the spine and prevent unnatural movements. Facet joints allow for flexibility, rotation and extension while preventing vertebrae from slipping.

Positive results

Shortly after the surgery, many of Grace’s chronic symptoms resolved, including neck pain and weakness. This improvement has allowed Grace to participate once again in family activities, exercise and hobbies – all of which were difficult following the car accident.

“The pain that you’re feeling isn’t the final destination,” said Grace. “You can rediscover your true health.”

Lawrence is impressed with how well Grace is doing.

“We expect him to regain a high level of function, including improved range of motion and resolution of his symptoms,” said Lawrence.

For his part, Grace is grateful to Lawrence.

“He was an outstanding doctor who took his time and was very thorough. The placement of the device was perfect,” Grace said of the artificial cervical disc Lawrence implanted. “He walked me through each step.”

Outpatient convenience

Grace was already familiar with the new ambulatory surgery center at the West Ashley Medical Pavilion. He found the prospect of having surgery without a hospital stay appealing.

“I did some research and knew that the ambulatory surgery center was the way to go. The staff was great – cutting-edge stuff,” he said.

Lawrence also highlighted the benefits of the ambulatory setting.

“It’s in a convenient location. It’s a beautiful facility with a very high level of patient care and safety,” said Lawrence. “Patients are able to park, walk directly into the facility, have their procedure, and return home the same day, which makes the overall experience more convenient for the patient.”

As MUSC continues to expand access to spine care, the West Ashley ambulatory surgery center provides patients with a more convenient option for advanced procedures in a setting designed to support efficiency, comfort and high-quality care.