ADR revision, Remove disc or Leave

[CharlesinCharge]

Mark,

This is just my opinion of course, but why put yourself through TWO major surgeries?? The doctor is saying that if the PLIF does not work, they can go back in and remove the disc. Will you really be able to tell after 2 weeks or 2 months that the surgery was a success?? Do you want to go through two major major surgeries? Since you are like me and you would rather die than suffer with unbelieveable pain for the rest of your life, why not just take the risk and have the disc removed? It is only one surgery, and whether it works or not you took your best shot. I personally cannot imagine going through a PLIF and then 2 weeks or 2 months later having to go back in and being operated on again, and the second one is an even more invasive operation!?

You of course have to decide what is best for you and we will all support you and help you in any way we can, but my two cents (for what it is worth) would be to have the disc removed (since all available reports point to that being the best chance for being pain free) and only go through the one major surgery. Believe me, that is a big surgery and will have you laid up for some time.

I also want to say that I am terribly sorry you are going through this hell, and that I think you are a very brave and noble person.

Good luck,

[phylly]

Mark,
You have a very difficult decision ahead. You seem to have a doctor that you have great confidence in and will be there for you which is so important. Were they able to see your patch on the MRI if you have one. That is very important if they are going back in the front. If there is no patch then it could be a very life threatening operation. Mine was visible on the MRI. The other issue I would discuss if the type of PLIF your doctor will do. My doctor did a percutaneous fusion (sextant?) where as I understand it he did not scrape all the muscle from the bone, made two smaller incisions) and it was less invasive. I hope this works out for you. It is also nice to have someone near you and of course the cost is a BIG factor. There are no guarantees on pain-free surgeries. Having two surgeries in so short a time is also a bit scary, I was in a lot of pain for several weeks. Can you talk to any of his other patients to see how they did?

I still had pain several weeks ago and I am almost 3 months post surgery. I have now been worked up for piriformis issues and had an injection under EMG yesterday. It already seems to be helping so I am so thankful for a doctor who is there for me and is getting me all the help I need at a fast pace. That did not happen with the first surgery and things seemed to drag on forever. Just making trips of over an hour each way was draining so going out of the country seems daunting to me. I wish you the best with this decision. If your doctor is willing to go back and take out the ADR, be there for you, and you trust him that is a giant plus. Let us know what you are going to do?
Phylly

[Linda]

Hi Mark,
It is just my opinion but I think you need to find an experienced doctor in removing the disk, like Dr. Regan and one who is experienced in the lateral approach in case that is needed. I also have scoliosis caused by the placement of my ProDiscs. I haven't read of any good successes revising and leaving the disk in especially if the disk is improperly placed to begin with. I wish you the best in your search for the right solution for you. I agree with others that you will not know in 2 weeks or 2 months whether the PLIF was a success. I don't see how it could be with the Maverick disk improperly placed and left there. You are the one that has to live with the results. Go with your knowledge and what your heart is telling you.
Best wishes,

[kimmers]

Mark,

I may be a dufus. But what about that top Aussie doc, Dr. Matthew Scott-Young?
Have you tried seeing him?
I just know that he is ranked as one of the top docs in the world and wondered is he on the eastern states? Excuse my ignorance, but I don't know much about Australia.
I understand from looking him up before that he does not treat Americans but he does treat Aussies.
Good luck with your search to find a surgeon you can trust. I think at one point there was someone on this forum who had Dr. MSY as a doc.

Kimmers

[mark-perth]

Hi Phylly

Thanks for the msg. There is definately no patch there. My doc doesnt seem to be concerned with that at all and is confident of being able to do it but sounds like he would take quite a bit of bone as well. But he wont do it at this stage until after a posterior op.
I hope your pain eases up soon, is the piriformis issues from the surgery or seperate?
Thats the last thing you need after such a big op but great to hear that they are helping you quickly. Not often does that happen and is even harder when you travel overseas for surgery, you are lucky not to have to travel to far.

I talked about other less invasive posterior fusions and he said that he would basically fuse everything possible so it will be quite invasive. He thinks that will stop the movement. It sounded pretty awfull really. He said a minimally invasive fusion wouldnt be enough. Id say if the disc was removed first like yours a minimally invasive fusion would be all that would be necessary.

I would like to have it done here just for the travel problems and maybe also a language problem as well but I just cant see that happening. I am confident with the surgeon I have but I dont want 2 have several operations and are concerned that he cant do a lateral access so he is limited by what he can do. It just allows an extra chance of being able to correct the problem properly I feel. I also cant see me be able to know in 2 months if it isnt correct and needs to have the disc removed. I would still be in pain from the posterior fusion especially as its going to be an invasive one.
I should know later this week if any other surgeons in aus can remove it and can do a lateral access surgery but it doesnt seem good.

I think my best chance is paying someone with experience to get the best chance. I know there is no guarantees anyone can give of it being successful and really doubt that I will ever be totally painfree but just want to be the best I can be. Hopefully I can get a skybed for most of the travel, siting upright is something I cant do for more than a few minutes. I wanted to have the surgery ASAP but have realised I am better to wait a bit longer and find the best doc for me, not rush it and end up worse. I wanted to post a picture of my scan but havent been able to on here, if you send me a PM with your email ill send you a copy of the scan for you to see.

Thanks for the advice and talk to you soon,

Mark

[mark-perth]

Hi Linda

Good to hear from you, How have you been doing lately with the Fibrin injections?
Are you any closer to having your discs removed?
I was going to send you a message and find out if you knew how much it would cost to have Dr Regan remove my ADR? I think I remember you talking about having to pay for it as well. You can send me a PM if you prefer. I know its expensive in USA.
I too agree that its better to have someone experienced do the operation especially someone that can do a lateral operation if needed. If I did have it done here I would be telling my surgeon to sow me up if he cant fix it anteriorally and I will have it taken out laterally but cant see that happening. I dont want a PLIF to start with and agree that I would still be in pain from the op to know if its OK to leave as it is.
Hopefully I will hear back from your doctor soon, I got them at a bad time due to the SAS conference I think.
Did you ever contact Dr Pimenta?
Its a very hard decision, really the main reason I would prefer having it done here is the traveling but just dont think that I have a choice. The cost really doesnt matter cause im never going to be able to enjoy my money if im in too much pain so thats not at all on my mind. Ive got a better chance of success with someone experienced. Ive just got to wait and hear whats recommended by the experienced revision surgeons, hopefully its not to long as the pain is getting worse and I dont want to keep increasing my painkillers. Ill end up like I was before the last op an severely tolerant and struggled with pain post-op. I was lucky that my doctors here were aware of it and provided nearly enough morphine. Thats gonna be scary.
Hope you are doing well and feeling better.
talk to you soon,
Mark

[cathydownunder]

Mark....big decisions to be made.
I sent you a PM.

[TamiN]

Virginia,

Hopefully you found Tim Vicknair, who owns European Medical Tourists. He is wonderful and called me the day after I contacted him. He coordinates travel and medical info for Dr. B.

Hope your surgery was successful!

[steve55]

Well, count me in also. Ive been advised by Dr B to fuse my C6/7 ADR. Great, juuust great. (Sigh)

[mark-perth]

Hi Steve

Im so sorry to hear that you to need to have a revision operation. That all you need after only just having surgery. You are very lucky though that it is the cervical not lumbar as its much safer to revise but still big problems.

Talk 2 U soon and keep positive.
Mark