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#11
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New member
Hope my signiture page comes up? That has my story.
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Kirk Had two level adr mobi-c replacment feb 13th. level c-6 and c-7. One disk has moved slightly but a week later xray looked ok. Dr told me I might have bone density issue. Having a bone density scan March 7th. I seem to be the only one in pain? Not really bad but on and off at all times of the day.Left side and right side of neck. Right where I think they inserted the disks. Trying to stay off pain meds as muck as possible. Anyone else getting frustrated at the slow pace of recovery? |
#12
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my recovery is in its 7th month, even though my issues are at facet levels above the adrs. I am in no rush, but maybe because I am able to function at work. How do they know your adr has moved? I also noted that your incision is vertical whereas others are mostly side to side? or is that just the way it shows in your photo?
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Pre Surgery: C3-C4:Mild disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate right facet arthrosis. Mild right foraminal stenosis. C4-C5:Midline central disc protrusion, significant. Mild canal stenosis. C5-C6:Moderate disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate canal stenosis. Moderate-severe bilateral foraminal stenosis. C6-C-7:Mild-moderate disc osteophytes. Mild canal stenosis. Moderate left and moderate-severe right foraminal stenosis. June 29,2016-3 level M6 (C4-C7) Dr. Clavel Barcelona |
#13
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Hello everyone...
I just wanted to share that my research shows me that ADR can be succesufull on cervical but not always in the lumbar spine. There is a lot of information on this forum but I will give some quick points: - Cervical spine doesn't need to support lots of weights and also weight changes in the future will affect it marginally. On the other hand, lumbar spine will have to carry with lots of weights for all your life - Cervical surgery is easier (less dangerous) than lumbar. The lumbar area has major blodd vessels that can be damaged and men can have ejaculation problems later. - Revision surgery can be very dangerous after an ADR surgery (barriers does not always work) - Some spine surgeon will do cervical ADR but not lumbar ADR because they know the results are not the same - Surgical outcomes fron lumbar ADR on this forum are VERY variable.. I think cervical ADR has shown better results - I would need to have surgery abroad so local doctors will not see me after a surgery they don't perform here - I can see that it is very difficult to get a response from.doctors after surgery abroad Hope everyone make an informed decision and have the best outcomes possible. ADR can still be considered an experimental treatment so we have to take chances here. Cheers. R.
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28 years old, from Santiago, Chile. 2007 - Did fall backwards playing volleyball. Small pain began 2007 - Multiple PT sessions and facet joint injections 2010 - Herniated discs L4-L5 and L5-S1 after usual firefighter training 2011 - More PT sessions and then discectomy at both levels 2012/2016 - Multiple chiropractor and facet joint injections 2016 - RF ablation and PT sessions 2017 - Stott Pilates. By far the best treatment I've had so far Trying to decide among a fusion or ADR... |
#14
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Fair Comparison
Quote:
- Do nothing, suffer, maybe it gets better (or then it does not!) - Lumbar Fusion - Lumbar ADR For most people reading this forum, the first option has probably been exhausted or is about to be. Then, we are left with the two options Lumbar Fusion vs. Lumbar ADR. Let us not focus on the potential negatives of ADR and ignore the negatives of Lumbar Fusion... Lumbar Fusion is not a "safe and trusted" procedure. You have to read on about all the complications in fusion, too. Read the stories of fusion failing, pain remaining, re-surgery taking hardware out, pain remaining, re-fusion again, and most importantly --- Adjacent Disc Syndrome ---. Adjacent Disc Syndrome, the eternal curse that spreads through your spine, emptying both your wallet and will to live as you keep having to go to new surgeries. They call fusion the "gold standard", but these words are an insult to the lives ruined by this procedure. My father has a good friend who went the fusion route. From what I have been told, his life is miserable and he is now going in for surgery again. I think this is his third or fourth surgery. So in the end, we have to do a well-informed decision based on knowledge. I prefer looking at the research and published outcome in journals. They all show that ADR has been same or better than Fusion from the very beginning. Not to mention that ADR technology, surgical techniques, and surgeon experience keeps improving. Therefore, the advantage of ADR over fusion will keep growing. Clearly, many of the early failures in ADR are also due to poor patient selection. For some patients ADR is simply not an option (low bone density or metal allergy). However, if you are a good candidate for ADR, you will be damned to go for fusion just because the local doctor does not know how to do ADR and is too old and cynical to learn new surgical skills. But in the end, just as you say, we have to make our own best informed decision and live with it. With these words, I merely want to emphasize looking at the choice objectively and weighing the options on equal grounds.
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2015 Lost ability to sit 2016 Gradually worsening despite conservative treatment 2016 L4-L5, L5-S1 activ L success! |
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adr vs. fusion, disc replacement complications |
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