Conversation with Dr Lauryssen
 

Hey everyone, I just had a phone consult w Dr Lauryssen and once again I was very impressed with his evaluation and treatment plan for me. He is recommending an anterior fusion at L5 S1 and a prodisc at 4-5. He said my retrolesthesis is to great for an ADR at 5 1. What has me perplexed is that BOTH clavel and Bierstedt said ADR at 5 1 is no problem???? Dr lauryssen said that due to his insane call volume at his office regarding the m6 he plans to start using the implant overseas by this fall!! He told me he has done hundreds of pro discs w great results and says its not the disc as much as the surgeon which I agree with to an extent. So now it's back to square one on the treatment plan for me.

Boxer,

Sounds like your conversation went well with Dr. Lauryssen.
I have never met him, but one of my spiney friends recommended him to me.
My spine friend had cervical spine surgery and spoke highly of Dr. L, although he had surgery with another doctor, he knew Dr. L professionally.

SO happy researching. And sometimes a surgeon does not go where he is not comfortable. If Dr. L does not think an ADR would work at L5/S1, investigate the rationale for this until you have no more reservations about it.

K

For whatever reason the European surgeons are willing to perform surgeries that their American colleagues are not. The question is, who's right? Good luck in deciding. Most ADR manufacturers publish retro and antero-listhesis limits under which their devices are expected to work.

That's good news about Dr Lauryssen's pending adoption of the M6. As he doesn't necessarily feel that it's a superior implant, did he suggest why he's going to set up shop overseas to begin implanting it? Is it strictly a financial decision?

Good luck, Jeff

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Well lauryssen did say he felt the m6 is the better disc and because of patient demand he will be going oversees to implant. He was very quick to tell me to be careful going to Spain or Germany because u really have no follow up at all and they are really mostly out to make money example dr bertangnolis million dollar a year salary from prodisc??? For me the most concerning problem is that the m6 site says spondylolisthesis is a contradiction for adr

I suspect this has a lot to do with the legal/regulatory environment, and the fear of lawsuits...

From what I read
 

The Pro-disc MUST be place just right. The placement is key and if the surgeon isn't as skilled the result will not be favorable. One reason why many doctors abroad are no longer using it...

I don't believe Spondy is a contradiction, it depends how much it is and what caused it. I have read that Grade I with minimal slip for ADR is doable, as long as their is nothing going on that would cause a further slip, such as fractures to supporting bony structures. Do you know how bad your slip is, do you have any fractures?