Spinal Disk Replacement

yeah, for my cervical one, they'll actually go thru the front of the neck, moving the esophogus and whatever else is in there aside.

Mainly, at this point, I just need to start down the path towards finding someone to recommend it for me, get a clinic to do it at, and get my insurance on board. probably impossible.

 

So, Mitch...what's the update? Spill the beans and tell us all your new plan.

 

Sorry for the long delayed response. Just got a notification that someone posted to this site today and saw your question. There is no short answer to this, but-
1. Surgeons have different approaches to the same problem. It is not that you would not have gotten better with the fusion, just that you would have to go through surgery. Some tend to be more aggressive. I try to find out what the patient's life is like (ie- missed days of work, depression from chronic pain etc.), and then try to recommend the treatment that is appropriate. I tend to try the non-operative techniques first.
2. I hate to admit this, but there are a great deal of unnecessary spine surgery (esp. lumbar fusions) done. There is the obvious financial motivation of surgeons to do this, and I have seen this happen personally with my former partners. I am not saying this was the case with your surgeon, just that it happens.

Hope that helps. Sorry for the delayed response.

 

I see the surgeon on feb 8th (next monday). looks like I'm a candidate for cervical disc arthroplasty (replacement). so no fusion for me - just need to make sure that the insurance company will cover it. it'll be my first piece of hardware. and I need to make sure that I can still race, snowboard, climb, etc. with this operation.

I'll post up my operation date once it's confirmed. if all goes well, and I quit my job as planned afterward, I might race this summer. maybe LW twins, but would prefer to run a 600. we'll see...

 

I had spinal fusion a few years ago, I was in so much pain and always had problems with trapped nerves. I eventually got rushed to ER with a fragmented disc between C5-C6 and C7 was ok but not great.

I got rushed in on friday morning saturday at 12pm I was eating a burrito at my local mexican feeling great apart from the neck brace.

I have never looked back from that day.

 

man i hope you can get the replacement!!! mobility is a great thing.

 

Huey - How'd you end up at the Hughston Clinic? Did you go to the one in Columbus?
The reason I ask is I was on a business trip in Cincinnati and my boss slipped on some ice and broke his leg, it was at a 90 degree angle. The paramedics carried him to the hospital and they tried to admit him. He said "splint it boys and throw me on the King Air, I'm going to the Hughston Clinic". They thought he wanted to go to Houston.

 

I had my fusion done is 07 and its been nothing but pain since. They left so much scare tissue that I feel almost as bad as I did b4 the surgery. Mine was the sacrume and l5. It hurts all the time but its tolerable. THe only real difference is rather than just hurting in my leg now I hurt in my back and leg. I would advice doing all the physical theropy you can and avoid the surgery if at all possible. Mine was done in Atlanta by the Orthopedics Group In Lawrenceville. I would NOT go thru it again.Something that worked well for me and was pretty low impact was doing Aquatic Theropy. Working in a pool. It HELPED that most.
If you want to see my xray cause it wont let me post it in two places on the site but if you open this link and scroll down to the 7th post youll see it.
http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=196685


I will say this though. Last April at the 2nd National round at JGP, I crashed and well my back did hurt but no worse than normal. But everything else hurt like hell. So the fusion is strong. But those bolts are constantly pushing that nerve and it always hurts.

 

How did you get your pics in the thread like that? And ask Skip Salinus how mine went. From the time they admited me into the hospital it was down hill. But my Doctor turned out to be an idiod. Just do your home work.