Over 70

cfies · #1 03-25-2011, 12:19 AM

Has anyone over 70 years of age had ADR? I have been fighting failing discs at L3-L4 and L4-L5 for the last 8 years.

annapurna · #2 03-25-2011, 01:13 AM

Off the top of my head, no but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened. On the other hand, one of the compelling arguments for ADR is that the motion at the segment with an ADR would tend to reduce the likelihood of adjacent segment degeneration when compared with a fusion. Much over 70, you have a statistical likelihood of passing on of natural causes before adjacent level problems could catch up with you.

That's not the only reason to get an ADR. If nothing else, the recovery for ADR surgery tends to be faster than for fusion but it is a big argument to drive serious thought about which surgery you should get if you're in your 70's or later.

Harrison · #3 03-25-2011, 09:39 AM

Please tell us a bit more about your spinal health. E.g., your recent imaging studies. Do you have reason to believe that your spinal vertebrae have good bone density? Osteoporosis could be a big problem and contraindication.

Harrison · #4 03-25-2011, 07:22 PM

C,

Please see my post from 05-11-2007 which touches on the age issue:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f59...tion-inc-8913/

Jim, Laura: that was a nice post: frank, caring, polite.