Scheduled for surgery

[AshleyR]

Hi! My name is Ashley. I'm 21 years old, and when I was 16 I was involved in a Nasty ski-accident, Doctors didn't diagnose me till I was 19 with DDD, despite the constant pain, and many many doctors, Epidural injections, being told I had Facet Joint syndrome, which I really don't have, I really have severe DDD at L4-L5. I also have DDD in L3-L4, but not to the extent that causes pain according to the latest discogram I had done. I was wondering if anybody on here has had surgery before in Charlotte, NC. At Carolina Nuerosurgeon and Spine Associates? On January 15th Dr.Coric there wants to put in a new type of disk, as part of a clinical trial, its called the NUBAC.

[LBP]

Ashley,

I've never heard of Nubac before and I just did a search about it...looks like it is a new clinical trial but I can't get any specific info about it. The surgeon you mentioned was involved in the Kineflex clinical trials (which were compared to Charite) so I would think he's got some decent experience in this area of new surgicial devices as alternatives to fusion. I did a "find" of Coric on this website and it shows he was an author in a publication re the Bryan cervical disc too.

I wonder if this trial is in the earliest stages before the info is posted because I couldn't find it at www.spine-health.com nor at clinicialtrials.gov and Harrison doesn't have it updated to his trial list either.

I'd like to find out where else this is being offered and what's it being tested against!

Will you be meeting with Dr. Coric again before your surgery? Can you ask him to explain the differences between NUBAC and Charite/Prodisc/Kineflix and how it will work compared to the newer Dascor type options.

From what I read, it seems like it's another device just getting rid of the nucleas but not the annular tissue of the disc.. so it's not clear how the device is secured other than by the annular tissue.

Do you know if you have any annular tears? Does your diskogram report discuss any grade 1-5 level annular tears?

[Harrison]

Met Dr. Coric a few times, and several of his patients have posted on this forum about their experiences. I hope they can chime in here.

In the meantime, this should help you:

PIONEER NUBAC STUDY

http://adrsupport.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4601036081/m/4...071098132#4071098132

And this press release:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85845.php

[AshleyR]

I meeting Dr.Coric for the first time, on Jan 2nd, and then I will see be meeting with his PA during Pre-Op,on the 9th. My Surgeon Dr.Oberer refered me to Dr.Coric, I have been bounced around a lot from one doctor another, supposedly Dr. Coric can do this surgery through two small incisions but i will know more on the second. All I know that my radiologist report showed was that my disk according to my doctor was causing my pain. This study still is in its early stages only 120 patients have been implanted with it, and there will only be 200, and they will be followed for 2 years. I will find some information on it,when I have time and post it. I found a bunch online, and from what I was given when I was convinced to try it. The device is used in Germany occasionally.

[LBP]

Ashley,

I am especially interested to know whether your diskograms showed annular tears or not and if so what grade. I have tears and I am wondering whether that would exclude me from this particular device.

Also, will you be having this device at one level or 2 levels? Most trials are only for one level so I am always interested in 2 level trials.
Thanks

[FGAMNB]

I had the NUBAC implant done about a year ago with Dr Coric. Very good surgeon in a top notch practice. I have seen improvement since device was implanted. Will answer what I can.

[AshleyR]

How much improvement in your pain did you have?How long was the recovery time for you? I already see a few doctors in at the same practice for another reason, but this is freaking me out a little bit since the device hasn't been used for long over in the U.S and not more than 3 years in Europe.

[LBP]

re NUBAC see:
http://www.pioneersurgical.eu/documents/NUBAC_Manuscrip...006-0007-RR2_000.pdf


from: http://www.pioneersurgical.eu/newstext_02.htm

[AshleyR]

The latest news on my surgery, is that I met with Dr.Coric on the second, he wants to replace the nucleus of the L4-L5 disk, and possibly the disk above it,since I am young and somewhat healthy, although that disk could wait he said. He then told me if it doesn't work they can always go back in and put in two artifical disks, but he is hoping he doesn't have to do that. The device isn't held in place by anything other than the tissue surrounding it so there is a risk of it slipping out, but that has only happened in 1 case Dr.Coric told me.