Sucess vs. Length of Injury

[Judi]

Is there a correlation between the success of ADR and how long you've had your injury?

[letteski]

Judi,

This is a very loaded question because every body is so different and we all have different issues going on, disc height, stenosis, disc protrusions etc....

But with that said I personally believe that time is a very important factor when it comes to success. If you have nerve impingement for a long time you may develop scare tissue like Deuce or you could be like Brad and wait years and end up with a great result. Go figure....

I waited 10 months and when I woke up after surgery, I immediately felt the pressure was take off my nerve. Now 6 months later my never issues in that leg have gotten a lot better. So glad I did not wait any longer. I think I saved my nerve from permanent damage.

Hope this helps.

[mmglobal]

I do believe that length of disability does impact chances for success. Knowing that, we are still left with the same decision process... and each of our situations are unique.

As we've seen with Melanie's story, she's pain-free and opiate-free after her ADR surgery (her 6th lumbar surgery) after 19 straight years on opiates.

We know people who looked like poor candidates who've had excellent outcomes and people who look like excellent candidates with poor outcomes.

We certainly wish there were better indicators and a way to know more about our chances... but even if we had accurate odds, high chances of success still leave many people suffering. All spine surgery is a gamble. For most of us here, our poor quality of life makes the gamble wortwhile. If one's quality of life is not poor, in the absence of compelling reasons to go sooner rather than later (like advanced or advancing neuro deficit, approaching borderline contraindications, etc...), then most invasive spine surgeries are something to avoid.

Mark

[Alastair]

I have never seen statistics for this And do remember this is a major surgery with NO guarantees,but would suggest if no good outcome happens with lesser invasive things first the sooner competent surgery can take place the better
Best
Alastair

[florihupf]

I think I read somewhere a study saying the longer you had you injury the longer recovery will take (on average).

Of course, usual disclaimer: Everyone is different... ;-)

From what I've heard, sometimes waiting can be as much of a gamble as surgery itself.

My lesser-invasive nucleotomy didn't work, and I know that sooner or later something will have to be done. But my quality of life could be much, much worse. Some days I almost feel normal.

So whaddaya do???

Surgeon Number One says: 'it'd be better to do ADR now, while the face joints are healthy, than later'.

Surgeon number two says 'hold your horses'

Surgeon number three is studying the images.

Pick a card, any card.....argh.

surgeon 3 is dr b ?
if so i would go with him
chuck

[andromeda1111]

Spine injury for 11 years - successful ADR outcome.

Chuck,

Yep, surgeon 3 is Doctor B. While I can only respect him from reading about him here, I am still leery about the financial motivations of a private clinic.

The Alphaklinic recommended my nucleotomy based on my MRI report and I scheduled surgery with them. I ended up having it done in Paris due to a blood problem that the AK wasn't sure how to handle.

It didn't work due to my osteophytes, but it was recommended all the same. I strongly doubt the AK result would have been any better, as they only would have treated the hernia as well.

AND--it was recommended without images.

It's all about money at the end of the day, I fear. I'm starting not to trust even my own mother...

Trace

tmont
i'm very sorry to hear this. i hope things get better for you.
chuck