Advice sought on good UK (ADR), NHS Surgeons.

[marcus_webmail]

Hello, I am seeking the names of ADR surgeons in England that others would recommend who work within the NHS. Advice elsewhere on this site suggests that your surgeon should ideally have carried out 100+ ADR ops previously but finding the names of those is not easy. I have tried various searches (UK Surgeons, English Surgeons etc) but cannot find what I need and I don't want to be any surgeons guinea pig.

I have been waiting since 2005 for the Lumbar Freedom Disc to become available here in the UK on the NHS. My surgeon had another meeting with the committee which is responsible for introducing new operations in June and whilst they are optimistic regarding the trails which ended a year ago they will not give a date for its introduction I'm told. All along my surgeon has told me the alternative was the "Charite" solid state disc which he strongly discouraged but I have given up hope and patience and need to move things on and bring an end to this pain. However as he doesn't do that operation I need to know who to ask to be sent to instead. He has suggested someone but I've never heard the name and have no idea how good or indeed how experienced he is. I cannot be the first to make this journey so help from others would be greatly appreciated.

Secondly and on the same theme, I am also waiting for an ADR in my neck, my surgeon was intending to use the Neo Cervical Disc but he tells me that it has failed its trials and been withdrawn from the market. He therefore recommends the M6 disc of those available but it seems neither he nor anyone else in the NW of England is currently offering ADR surgery with this disc. So again I am asking for help with names of experienced surgeons with which to go to my GP and health authority to seek treatment elsewhere (but still on the NHS).

Thanks for your time, reading my message.
Marcus
_____________
Marcus Latham
Back trouble since 1990, currently housebound and badly incapacitated by my condition.
Previous partial discectomy on L5/S1 (now needed ADR surgery)
5 degenerative discs in neck, with C3 prolapsed and needed ADR surgery
2 extra cervical ribs removed in mid 1990s

[Harrison]

Marcus,

Sorry you aren’t making any improvements. In no particular order:

- Mister(s) John Sutcliffe and Nick Boeree come to mind, based on patients’ feedback from this community. Maybe other UK patients will chime in.

- Dunno what all the hub-bub about the Charite is -- properly indicatated patients (like me) have done well with our long-term recoveries.

- Do you have any insights into the NeoDisc failures? A new member (Tyler) was asking about this product specifically; I looked into this design quite a bit in the past six years. Some of my comments about it are in my recent post to Tyler.

- You can also search for spine patients from your country who are ADRSupport members, as well as other search parameters. Here is the member directory with advanced search.

Hope this helps a little….

[marcus_webmail]

Hi Harrison

Thanks for that, and for the 2 names, that a start. I hope others may be able to add some others. One question, that has prayed on my mind given my surgeons lack of enthusiasm for the Charite. Can you tell me if, as he fears I could be back in front of him 5-10 years after having had it fitted in the same state I am now. Does having had one type of Artificial Disc put in, prevent or complicate having another type put in later? In other words, if it was necessary could I have the Freedom Disc fitted (in the same position) in 5 years if I choose the Charite disc now?

As for the Neo Disc I can't really help. I just got a reply from my surgeon in late June to my request for an update saying that the Neo Disc project has ground to a halt. There were problems in the IDE Study and the company have basically withdrawn this from the market."
A family friend from the medical world mentioned that for it to have been withdrawn altogether from the market, she thinks, indicates some serious problems with the technology.

[berry]

Hi Marcus

Welcome to this forum, I don't get on here often, spend more time on adrsupportuk which you may like to join.

I can personally highly recommend Mr Ian Shackleford, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Warrington Hospital. (Private practice at Spire Cheshire.) He uses Activ L & Activ C prostheses and has an excellent reputation. His contact details and a list of other surgeons in the Uk who undertake disc replacement surgery are on the UK forum.

Mr Sutcliffe does not do NHS work any more only private.

Kai Lam at Guy's in London (NHS) is also experienced and highly thought of by the members of the UK forum.

Hope that helps, sorry its short but its time I was asleep.

PM me if you'd like futher info.

Best wishes

Lynda


Here's the link to the list of UK disc replacement surgeons

ADR Support UK -> ADR Hospitals and surgeons

[marcus_webmail]

Hi Lynda!
Thank you for that, its very helpful on several layers. I have now joined the UK group also my surgeon offered to send me to Mr Shackleford but I didn't know the name so that is really useful.

Thanks Marcus

[Tyler]

After a lot of researching - and consulting with eight different surgeons - I'm now strongly leaning toward Spinal Kinetics' M6-C.
I've heard great things about Nick Boeree who apparently has done more with M6 than anyone in England.
I just finished a great conversation with him and have previously spoken with patients of his in the U.S. - he's definitely on the short list.

[marcus_webmail]

Hi Tyler,
Thanks for your reply, I too have heard good things about the M6 and indeed my surgeon Mr Ross as Hope Hospital also thinks its the best available at the moment. Isn't it Southampton where Mr Boeree operates?

[Tyler]

Hi Marcus -

I believe Nick Boeree is now focusing his practice at the Spine Clinic at Nuffield Hospital Hampshire (between Southampton and Winchester) - a long way from California but I may soon be making the trip!

Here's their website link:
The Spine Clinic :: Meet your consultant

With best regards,
Tyler