EVERY YEAR, U-S SURGEONS PERFORM MORE THAN HALF A MILLION BACK SURGERIES TO RELIEVE DISC-RELATED PAIN. AS MANY AS THIRTY-PERCENT OF THOSE PATIENTS HAVE RECURRENT PROBLEMS. ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALISTS ARE TESTING A NEW PROCEDURE THAT MIGHT PREVENT PATIENTS FROM NEEDING A SECOND SURGERY. IMAGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK, SIT, OR BEND … WITHOUT FEELING INTENSE PAIN. "By the time I came home every day, I was close to tears, and the only comfortable position I could find would be laying flat on the floor." A HERNIATED, OR DAMAGED DISC IN JOANN SEAMAN'S LOWER BACK WAS PUSHING AGAINST A NERVE. ("I'm just gonna check on your legs to see how they're doing. I can pull this up?") SURGERY WAS THE BEST OPTION. TYPICALLY, DOCTORS REMOVE THE PORTION OF THE DISC CAUSING THE PAIN, BUT IT LEAVES A HOLE BEHIND. THIS CAN LEAD TO ANOTHER INJURY. "At least 10 percent of the patients who have a discectomy will have a re-herniation of that disc." DOCTORS ARE NOW TESTING A DEVICE DESIGNED TO CLOSE THE GAP FOR GOOD. THE NEW REPAIR SYSTEM ACTS LIKE A MINI-SEWING MACHINE. THE TIP OF THE DEVICE IS INSERTED INTO THE DISC WALL. IT ANCHORS SUTURES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HOLE AND PULLS IT SHUT FOR PATIENTS. IT MEANS REDUCING THE RISK OF A SECOND SURGERY. "For him to give me the hope that this could keep it from re-herniating, I was excited about that." GETTING PATIENTS BACK ON THEIR FEET -- PAIN FREE … AND KEEPING THEM THAT WAY. DOCTORS SAY THE REPAIR SYSTEM CANNOT BE USED FOR EVERY DISC SURGERY. IF THE HOLE IS TOO LARGE OR TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE BONE, IT WON'T WORK. THERE'S A CHANCE THE DEVICE CAN INCREASE RISK OF INFECTION OR DISLODGE AND MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA OF THE BODY.