Lumbar L5-S1 Flexicor - J

JasonL · #1 05-13-2008, 12:32 AM

I recieved the Flexicor disk in 6-04 as part of the FDA trial.
The surgery was termed 'unsuccessful'.
Bone chips were broken off into my sciatic canal during instalation.
Extremely painful. They had to be removed in a second procedure. They caused permanent nerve damage.
I've been living with sciatic type leg and foot pain ever since.
The back pain was improved from constant and severe to worse with activity.
Currently receive transferaminal nerve injections every 3 months with moderate success.
I am eager to correspond with others in a similar situation.
I've developed some strong opinions over the last few years. Not all negative.
I wish that this site was avaliable to me earlier in my treatment. It is unfortunate that some Dr's don't seem to fully appreciate the patients perspective. It's hard to know if their advice is truly in our best interest.
It's nice to read opinions from those on the sharp end of the scalpel. Those of us who have had to learn anatomy, pharmacology, physiology, etc. the hard way.
Questions and advice are welcome.
Thanks,
Jason

dantij · #2 05-13-2008, 07:40 AM

Hello Jason. Sorry to hear that your surgery was unsuccuesful. I am 6 months post op with a Flexicore disc at the L5-S1 level. I have recently returned to work but still experiencing pain similar to pre op. At this point in time, I would have to say that it has improved overall. I still think it is too early to call my procedure "successful". In comparison to what other patients are going through, yes. As you may already know, it can take as long as two years to fully recover. I feel for you Jason. I can't imagine going through more procedures to find relief. My recovery has often been filled with doubt, fear and a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not ADR was right for me. At times I was feeling more like a statistic and less like a patient. You just have to assume the doctor has your health in is best interest and not the clinincal trial. I too didn't find this site until I was home in bed recovering. Knowing what I know now, I still would go through with th procedure. Good luck with your recovery.

chelle · #3 05-15-2008, 06:40 PM

hi jason,
good to hear from you too. yup, danji was the first one i found with the flexicore but it was post op as well. I had mine 5-16-06 l4-5. my pain has vastly improved where my back only gets muscles spasms but i now have rt leg pain (nerve) as well. they told me it was from surgery and pre-op damage. anyhow, i manage. i have been given the op to have a scs implanted but i am not sure if i will do it. i just don't want to go backward in healing aka i'm scared. i have a tens unit that helps alot but a spinal cord stimulator is another surgery. i usually hang out on the spine-health.com website ( Michelle ) hope to hear from ya. send a pm sometime on either website. take care of yourself and don't give up.
sincerely,
Chelle

JasonL · #4 05-18-2008, 12:35 AM

Hi Danji and Chelle,
Thanks for the replies.
I feel that the ADR surgeries are good in that they allow greater motion than fusions. Long term, they should not require further adjacent fusions or replacements. The only major issue I have is in their longevity. How long until they wear out? Given a substantial reduction in pain and the alternative of fusion leading to fusion, I think that if an ADR can last for at least 15 to 20 years without further surgery (fusion or another replacement) then it could be considered successful. One would think titanium could last all that and more, so barring installation misshaps like mine, replacement disks are a viable option for those in severe pain. I would only caution that you find a Dr who has done many ADR procedures prior to yours.
I have recently began using Lyrica. It seems to be effective if relieving some of my nerve-type pain in my right leg. The surface pain, like skin burning, tingling and pins and needles have been greatly reduced. It's much easier to wear socks and shoes now. I would recommend it to Chelle. If you haven't tried it yet.
Hang in there,
Jason

ZorroSF · #5 08-09-2008, 11:23 AM

I'm glad all three of you have posted here. It's very important people obtain information from you about flexicore. I too was thinking about pursuing it at L5/S1 in San Francisco. I just saw the mechanical motion of it and decided it didn't look right. It was also askew regarding center of balance like prodisc and charite. This could give the patient increased risk of facet degeneration further down the line. Why I chose prodisc over flexicore was simply the sheer number in surgeries the surgeon had performed over flexicore and the fact he wouldn't share the rates of success data with me.

In the end even prodisc turned out to be a bad choice since I have adult onset scoliosis from negelcting my back pain for 15 years. Of course this surgeon who had so many surgeries with prodisc underneath his belt didn't have the common sense to perform any testing beforehand.

I'm very surprised that the operation caused sciatica in Jason's surgery. It would also be nice if you could give us some more info Jason about the location and doctor you sought help from. Not to diparage him/her, but for the next patient who want to take the plunge and needs more info about rates of success with flexicore regarding that surgeon. Maybe this was a one-off episode for the surgeon, or maybe they have a track record.

Dantij, it took me 15 months to begin to feel just a little relief and that was only because I shocked my muscle system twice a week at www.pilatespluswesthollywood.com
A very low impact workout that is extrinsic in muscle building. (like going to a gym without the impact on the joints). This helped me get to a basic level of pain maintenance I couldn't receive from drugs or traditional PT. Significant relief will happen when you can figure out how to maintain your health.

Chelle, I'm interested as to why you have muscle spasms post-op. typically this can come from vertabral joint degeneration or an impinged nerve root, or both. I don't understand how you can have the spams and nerve damage from the operation unless something similair to jason happened to you? Some sort of irreversible damage.

Please all three of you post more. We want to know your history of how you have treated your back pain. Right now your posts are quite vague. There's plenty of people here who have gone through or are still going through sheer hell. You're not alone in this.

Linda · #6 08-09-2008, 11:38 AM

Zorro,
Are you absolutely sure that your scoliosis is not being caused by the placement of your ProDisc? I have recently found out that my original surgeon has been lying to me for quite some time. I now have found out I have scoliotic deformity because of the placement of my ProDiscs. My lumbar ProDiscs are going to be removed and hopefully my spine straightened up on September 19th. Best wishes with finding a lasting solution to your pain issues!
Gentle hugs,

Terry · #7 08-09-2008, 04:34 PM

Lyrica was a God-send for me in the time before my surgery and, for a period of time since the surgery. I was on 400 mg per day towards the end of my time on the drug and it was very helpful with the distraction pain which could be quite intense. It is a medication that you have to wean yourself off of it or you will have nasty withdrawals. I got off of it a year ago this past June.

I am sorry some of you are struggling. Living in pain can be a real downer though everyone here sounds like you have great courage and fortitude to work your way beyond it.

Go with God.

Terry Newton

jeannea · #8 08-14-2008, 04:42 AM

I am now 6 weeks post op with my Flexicor. I have no back pain and am at the gym every day alternating light weight strength training and cardio. My only two small problems. The worst is that I just cannot stretch. My muscles just will not loosen up. Prior to this I was extremely limber. If I can just get these muscles to loosen up I would really be able to do alot more. My second problem is that in the evening my hips really ache, especially while trying to roll over in bed or getting out of bed. I haven't taken any meds for the last 4 weeks. The pain isn't bad enough to warrant pain med. OH - Achilles tendon burns like crazy when I flex my foot.
Is anyone else still having problems with the tight muscles? I feel like Ill never get them to loosen up again

Linda · #9 08-14-2008, 09:38 AM

Jeanna, Have you gotten the green light from your doctor to be back in the gym? That sounds way too aggressive to me. You can overdo it and mess things up.
Best wishes,

JasonL · #10 09-13-2008, 12:09 AM

Zorro,
I had my surgery in Florida. I was told that my Dr was the only one in the Southeastern US to be involved in a clinical trial for the Flexicore disk. It was his first attempt at this procedure.
I was 34 years old and in above average physical condition. Average weight and very active prior to my accident. I did PT for almost 2 years. I also had a microdiskectomy. I was only able to work part-time even though my pain meds were as extreme as fentanyl pain patches and muscle relaxers and more.
The surgeon entered through the front. The surgical assistant told me that it was extremely difficult for them to insert the disk. Upon waking, I could not straighten my leg at all. The pain was so severe it recallibrated my pain scale. 24 hrs later they finally conceded that something might be wrong. I was awake and in agony for 2 more days until new MRI results showed bone chips lodged in my sciatic canals. After chipping the surface of my L5 vertebrae there was 'cupping' left at the rear. These pieces broke off during disk placement. I was operated on again and they entered from my back to remove the largest pieces (the size of a pinky nail.)
They told me that because of me they changed their method to install the disks. I believe that they can now check on all sides of the vertebrae to better fit the disk and avoid forcing pieces to the rear or side.
My back pain was improved. I felt like I was in traction. Taller. Lighter. This lasted around 6 months. Then the pain returned. Not constant and severe, like pre-surgery, but it hurts with activity. I need to stretch and move to loosen the muscles in the a.m. Then I can do light activity for a few hours before the pain returns. Increased activity brings more severe levels of pain.
My leg pain has been constant. My calf muscle feels tight and often has sharp stabbing pains. When I sit it aggravates my nerves and my foot feels on fire. My glute muscle starts aching after 15 mins or so. I also have areas on my foot and leg that have no feeling when touched.
Lyrica helps with most of my leg pain and I highly recommend it for nerve pain.
Selective nerve blocks help reduce the back pain. Some times they work better than others. They often provide me with 6-10 weeks of improved mobility and comfort. Then the pain gradually returns until I can't wait for my next appt.
I don't want to give advice. Hopefully, I am providing information which will help you make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.
Above all I wish to be positive and focus on what helps me. I do not like self analysis. It seems that when I think about the pain too much it can become consuming. I am always seeking distraction. Maybe, I can strengthen my mind and spirit and overcome my body.
I wish you the best.
You are not alone.
Jason