Too Collapsed No room for ADR

[letteski]

Yesterday was a new blow for me, Dr Bray said he does not recommend ADR because he feels my disc space is too small for the prosthetic. He believes that from looking at the rest of my joints I never had much disc space at L5-S1 and trying to put an artificial disc in could over distract my spine. He recommends fusion, anterior with the BNP cage. Anyone heard about this? I now have 6 opinions 3 ADR, 3 fusion its a tie.

[biffnoble]

Hi Paulette:

It seems like it means if you go with ADR you're more likely to have nerve pain/distraction related pain and symptoms than with fusion. You must weigh risks/rewards.

[ans]

Sorry to hear this. I wonder if there's a smaller ADR w/less ht. and a "footprint" that would do. You saw a respected doctor - more confusion.

[Kim]

Pauleette sorry for the bad news. Good thoughts coming at you! Know you are in my thoughts and prayers
Kim

[Harrison]

BMP-2 has been approved for some time for lumbar fusions. Very safe, very effective in fusions. Correct placement of cages, pain eradication is another matter...

But the procedure has been performed for many years. Just ask lots of questions, as there are many variants to the approach, (e.g. mini-open vs. endoscopic) as well as the hardware used.

See more links and do your research:

http://www.adrsupport.org/content.asp?cid=181

Sorry to hear that Paulette. I hope you get the right direction that you are comfortable with. I guess you are not going to need the info on where to stay close by the hospital.

[dylan]

the l5-s1 does not move as much as the other vertebra

You should consider the fusion. Im not sure you want to introduce any new motion to a joint that has calcified, is in the early stages of autofusion, where the ligaments have grown extremely short and hypertrophied.

I suspect that was my spine "not seen on images" and I was the worse for it after ADR.

[ans]

PStewart,

I'm confused. Do you think her joints are calcified or could narrow spaces (is this a form of "stenosis" be congenital?

Thanks, Allan

[Ksrowd]

Paulette,
I am sorry to hear this. Since you and have similar stories and hopes of returning to an active lifestyle, I will tell that was the type of fusion recommended to me by both of my previous two surgeons who were both sports medicine doctors. They emphatically expressed to me that the only major difference between that and ADR would be the recovery time and a relatively small loss of range of motion because it is so low. I have a great deal of respect for my last surgeon and he told me he believed even if I have the fusion (minus any complications) that he would get me out running and coaching again. Please let me know if I can help in any way because I went through all the Q & A with two different doctors about that very procedure. Sometimes I think sometimes we have to rely on faith and hope a higher power knows what the best fix is for us. I have believe that after all the setbacks of trying avoid fusion (insurence and my old HMO) and get an AD, my insurence approved this procedure the first time.
Kevin