(openPR) - New York/Stuttgart – Disorders of the inervertebral discs in the lumbar spine are a frequent source of severe lower back pain. These discs are located between the vertebrae and when healthy allow proper movement, acting as shock absorbers when necessary. In the United States, 40 million people with spinal or back pain will consult a doctor annually. In the United Kingdom, 13% of the working population will miss work, due to back pain, for one month or more. Diseases of the intervertebral disc and associated disorders of the lumbar spine are a major focus of contemporary spinal care. The Lumbar Intervertebral Disc, written by leading authorities in the field and published by Thieme, contains the latest techniques for managing intervertebral disc disorders affecting the lumbar spine.

"The editors' vision was to provide the reader with a text that comprehensively explores the latest knowledge pertaining to the lumbar intervertebral disc," states co-editor Frank M. Phillips, MD, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The text has been divided into four primary sections and opens with a review of fundamental basic scientific concepts from anatomy to biology to the mechanisms of pain. Then the books graduates to the management of disc herniation and also includes a variety of treatment strategies for clinicians. It concludes with in-depth coverage of degenerative disc disease as well as essential information for imaging, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.

In recent years, unprecedented advances in the understanding of the biology and biomechanics of the disc in health and disease have led to developments in novel nonsurgical and surgical approaches to treatment of disc related pain. This book showcases the latest innovations in the field, such as non-surgical treatments as well as minimally invasive procedures and also provides noteworthy information on how to avoid and manage potential complications. The more than 236 illustrations and 16 tables expertly demonstrate key concepts presented in the text.

"The Lumbar Intervertebral Disc is important reading for those who wish to know the current thinking on this most difficult topic, I commend it wholeheartedly, " writes Alan Crockard, DSc, FRCS, Emeritus Professor of Surgical Neurology, Victor Horsley Department of Neurosurgery at the National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, UK.

About the Authors

Frank M. Phillips, MD, is Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery with Rush University Medical Center located in Chicago, Illinois. Carl Lauryssen, MD, has a private practice in Beverly Hills, California.

About Thieme

Thieme Publishing Group is a privately held scientific and medical publishing house employing more than 950 people and maintaining offices in seven cities, including New York, Delhi, Stuttgart and three other locations in Germany. Founded in 1886, the Thieme name has become synonymous with high quality and excellence in medical and scientific publishing. Today, Thieme is the market leading publisher of neurosurgical content and holds strong market positions in orthopedics, radiology, anatomy and chemistry, among other specialties. Thieme publishes 137 peer-reviewed journals and over 500 new books annually. The company also has a rapidly growing array of web-based products in medicine and science. State-of-the-art online products include Thieme eJournals, Thieme Electronic Book Library, the medical student website WinkingSkull.com and Thieme Teaching Assistant, an innovative web-based platform for faculty. For more information about Thieme visit www.thieme.com.

Bettina Ziegler
Public Relations and Press Office
Thieme Publishing Group
Ruedigerstrasse 14
70469 Stuttgart
Germany
Tel: +49-711-8931-280
Fax: +49-711-8931-167
bettina.ziegler@thieme.de