Perfect Disc Solutions

Jeffrey Larson, MD

Disc injury and degenerative disc disease are major contributors to chronic low back pain and disability. Once the degenerative disc process begins, it often progresses over time – leading to worsening pain, loss of function, and reduced quality of life if left unaddressed.

Today, advanced treatment options allow us to intervene earlier and more precisely in this degenerative cascade. These options include both cellular (biologic) therapies and surgical solutions, tailored to the stage and severity of disc disease.

Perfect Disc Solutions is a comprehensive treatment framework developed by Jeffrey Larson, MD, a board-certified neurosurgeon with decades of experience treating complex spine conditions. Dr. Larson integrates cutting-edge science with surgical expertise to address degenerative disc disease across its full spectrum – from isolated disc injury to advanced disc collapse, instability, and failure.

By matching the right treatment to the right stage of disc degeneration, Perfect Disc Solutions is designed to relieve pain, restore function, and preserve motion whenever possible – while avoiding unnecessary or premature interventions.

LEVEL 1

Disc Injury

If you suffer a disc injury and are told to “leave it alone,” it may be worth reconsidering. Early disc injury can initiate a biochemical cascade that accelerates degeneration over time.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) has been shown to down-regulate inflammatory enzymes (proteases) that contribute to disc breakdown. When used early – soon after injury – a targeted PRP injection may help slow or prevent progression of disc degeneration.

Cellular medicine represents a viable early intervention for select disc injuries. In appropriately chosen patients, biologic treatments may help preserve disc health, reduce inflammation, and delay or avoid more advanced degenerative changes.

In cases where imaging shows a more significant injury pattern, stem cell–based therapies may be considered alongside PRP as part of an individualized treatment strategy. The decision depends on the severity of disc damage, symptom correlation, and overall spine mechanics.

The goal at this level is simple: interrupt the degenerative process early, preserve the disc, and maintain long-term spinal function whenever possible.

LEVEL 2

Disc Herniation

When a disc herniates and compresses a nerve – resulting in leg or arm pain (radiculopathy) – surgery may be the most effective treatment. In these cases, the goal is not just pain relief, but protecting the long-term health of the disc and surrounding spine.

Rather than simply removing the herniated disc fragment—or proceeding directly to fusion – patients may be candidates for Dr. Larson’s Perfect Discectomy.

The Perfect Discectomy is a procedure developed by Jeffrey Larson that goes beyond standard discectomy techniques. It combines:

Precise microsurgical removal of the herniated disc fragment
Repair of the annular defect (the tear in the disc wall)
Targeted PRP injection into the injured disc to support healing and help slow further degeneration

This integrated approach is designed to relieve nerve compression while preserving the disc, reducing the risk of recurrent herniation, and minimizing progression toward disc degeneration and instability.

At this level, the objective is clear: resolve nerve pain, restore function, and protect the disc – without unnecessary fusion whenever possible.

LEVEL 3

Degenerative Disc Disease

Advanced degenerative disc disease – characterized by disc height loss, structural collapse, and bone spur formation – is often difficult to treat with standard nonoperative measures. When symptoms persist, conventional surgical options frequently default to spinal fusion.

Before any treatment decisions are made, the most important question must be answered: Is the degenerative disc truly the source of your pain?

Jeffrey Larson, MD addresses this question using a precise, selective diagnostic injection targeted directly at the suspected degenerated disc. This step allows Dr. Larson to determine whether the disc itself is generating your back pain – information that imaging alone cannot reliably provide.

If this diagnostic injection confirms discogenic back pain, selected patients may be candidates for cellular therapies, including stem cell–based treatments, aimed at improving the disc environment, reducing inflammation, and potentially slowing further degeneration.

At this level, treatment decisions are driven by confirmed pain sources, realistic expectations, and preservation of future options – ensuring that more invasive procedures, such as fusion, are considered only when truly necessary.

LEVEL 4

Degenerative Disc Disease with Stenosis

When degenerative disc disease progresses to the point that spinal stenosis develops—resulting in pinched nerves and persistent leg or arm pain—surgery may be necessary to achieve meaningful relief. Traditional surgical recommendations often include a laminectomy, with or without spinal fusion.

Dr. Larson approaches this advanced stage with a more precise, motion-preserving strategy.

Jeffrey Larson,MD designed the Perfect Laminectomy to treat degenerative disc disease complicated by stenosis while avoiding fusion whenever possible. This less invasive procedure is specifically tailored to the patient’s nerve compression pattern rather than removing excess bone or stabilizing the spine unnecessarily.

The Perfect Laminectomy combines:

A “pinched-nerve” – specific laminectomy
Medial facetectomy and targeted nerve root decompression
Followed by a cellular injection (stem cell therapy) into the degenerative disc to support disc health and attempt to slow further progression of degeneration

By precisely decompressing the nerves and addressing the underlying disc environment, this non-fusion approach is designed to relieve pain, preserve motion, and allow for faster recovery compared with more invasive fusion-based procedures.

At this level, the goal is relief of nerve compression while maintaining spinal mobility and preserving future treatment options whenever safely possible.

LEVEL 5

Disc Instability

In some cases, disc injury, herniation, degeneration, or stenosis progresses to true spinal instability. When instability is present, surgery may be required to restore stability, relieve pain, and protect the surrounding nerves and joints.

At this stage, the key decision is not whether surgery is needed—but which operation is right.

Jeffrey Larson, MD performs both artificial disc replacement (ADR) and minimally invasive fusion, selecting the procedure based on the patient’s anatomy, motion requirements, alignment, and long-term goals. When motion can be safely preserved, artificial disc replacement may be an option. When stability must take priority, fusion may be the most appropriate solution.

Dr. Larson’s microneurosurgical techniques are among the least invasive available. These advanced methods are designed to minimize tissue disruption while maximizing precision—resulting in less pain, lower risk, and a faster return to normal activity compared with traditional open surgery.

At this level, the goal is clear: restore stability, relieve pain, and choose the operation that best supports your long-term spine health – not simply the most common or convenient option.

LEVEL 1

Disc Injury

If you suffer a disc injury and are advised to leave it alone, think again. PRP (platelet rich plasma) has been shown to down regulate the proteases that degenerate the disc. A PRP injection soon after the injury may help prevent further disc degeneration.

Cellular medicine appears to be a viable and effective early intervention to disc injury and may help delay or prevent disc degeneration. You may consider a stem cell injection at the same time depending on the degree of injury seen with imaging.

LEVEL 2

Disc Herniation

If you herniate a disc and have nerve impingement with radiculopathy, then surgery be your best treatment. Rather than simply removing the herniated disc or even fusing the disc, you may consider Dr. Larson’s “Perfect Discectomy”. The perfect discectomy refers to a procedure designed by Dr. Larson that combines the microsurgical removal of the herniated disc fragment with repair of the annular defect, and then PRP injection into the injured disc to help recovery and attempt to slow and prevent further disc degeneration.

LEVEL 3

Degenerative Disc Disease

Disc degenerative with loss of disc height and bone spuring is very difficult to treat with typical nonoperative methods and surgery. Current surgery options often include fusion.

Dr. Larson will help you determine if a degenerative disc is a source of your pain by performing a selective diagnostic injection directed precisely at the degenerated disc. If this injection confirms that you have discogenic back pain, then you may consider a cellular injection including stem cells to treat the degenerative disc.

LEVEL 4

Degenerative Disc Disease with Stenosis

If you have degenerative disc disease so advanced that you now have stenosis with pinched nerves than you may need surgery to get pain relief. Surgery recommendations often include laminectomy with or without fusion.

Dr. Larson’s “Perfect Laminectomy” is a less invasive surgery designed to treat this difficult problem. This minimally invasive combined cellular medicine and surgery technique designed by Dr. Larson includes a “pinched nerve specific” laminectomy, medial facetectomy, and nerve root decompression followed by a stem cell injection into the degenerative disc to attempt to help you halt its progression further down the degenerative disc disease cascade.

This non-fusion technique preserves motion and lets you recover faster.

LEVEL 5

Disc Instability

Some cases of disc injury, disc herniation, disc degeneration, or stenosis, are unstable and require surgery for stability and pain relief. Dr. Larson performs both artificial disc replacement surgery and minimally invasive fusion depending on the case. Dr. Larson’s microneurosurgical techniques are the least invasive available, and offer you a quicker recovery, less risk, and faster return to your normal activity.

Treating Back Pain Starts With the Right Diagnosis

Successful treatment of low back pain begins with one essential step: an accurate diagnosis.

Back pain is rarely as simple as what shows up on an MRI or CT scan. Many people are told “this is what your imaging shows” – but never get a clear explanation of whether those findings actually explain their pain. That disconnect is one of the most common reasons treatment fails.

Dr. Larson approaches back pain differently.

With more than 30 years of neurosurgical training and clinical experience, Dr. Larson is a master diagnostician. He has developed a precise, efficient process to identify what is truly driving a patient’s symptoms – and what is not.

Dr. Larson performs the key diagnostic steps necessary to determine how much of your pain is coming from a specific anatomic problem and how much pain relief you can realistically expect by correcting it. This analytical approach combines careful clinical evaluation with proven scientific and evidence-based methods.

By focusing on accurate diagnosis first, Dr. Larson gives patients the best chance of receiving the right treatment, at the right time, for the right reason – and avoiding unnecessary or ineffective interventions.