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#61
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If I had one level and were not allergic to nickel (the ProDosc has nickel), Dr. Zeegers at TBI would be my first choice. I wouldn't hesitate, and would hop on a plane before even speaking to him with no hesitation.
Of course, you should always do a consult just to make sure you "click" with the doc, but I would have no fear getting my surgery with him.
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Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13. 1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4. Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6. Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's. At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair. Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6. Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel. |
#62
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Do you mean Dr. Zigler? I have not heard that Dr. Zeegers would operate in the US or TBI (?)
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#63
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Shoot. Yeah. Typo. Frigging carpel tunnel.
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Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13. 1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4. Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6. Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's. At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair. Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6. Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel. |
#64
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Hello everyone,
I have been quietly scouring this site for about a year but only wanted to post when I was about to proceed with surgery. I am planning an L5-S1 M6-L ADR with Mr. David Harrison (spine surgeon) in the UK at BMI-Princess Margaret Hospital. He's hardly mentioned here but he's had decades of experience with the older type discs and has done approx 70+ M6's both cervical and lumbar. He has also performed an M6-L on Retief Goosen (I'll provide a link later) who's a pro golfer at the L3-4 level. He returned to pro golf tours at 5 months amazingly. Of course that level is not as stressed as the lowers. I was also considering Dr. Clavel or Mr. Dare who are also fine surgeons. After doing research, I personally can't see why you would choose outside of those docs if planning on going overseas. Cost is about the same, slightly higher in the U.K. Praying for a pain-free life for everyone. I'm a 35 y/o male and planning for surgery on April 16 2013. He's busy but not so busy as to feel overlooked. Of course only post-op will I give you a real outlook but his PA is also wonderful
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* 35 y/o Male. 6"0'. 195 lbs. Orange, CA 5/2011- lifted heavy TV, ruptured L5-S1. 1/2012- Micr-D. relieved most leg pain, disc collapsed, worsened back pain. 11/2012- Biostat Fibrin Sealant inj by Dr. Davis-helped 30% with sitting. 12/2012- Consult with Dr. Lauryssen, Neurosurgeon (Best U.S. spine doc) in L.A. 5/2013 M6-L ADR at L5-S1 with Dr. David Harrison in UK. Sitting pain almost gone, continued L Facet/sciatic issues. Slowly recovering Afhstock@hotmail.com[/email] |
#65
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Had my foraminotomy yesterday
Hi All,
I wanted to let you know that I had my Foraminotomy at C6/C7 yesterday in NYC. All symptoms giving rise to my surgery are gone. I do have a lot of post-surgical pain though. That is to be expected and I was warned of it in advance. I have lots of good pain meds. Normally I don't like taking them, but now they are helpful. Hopefully in about 48 hours I can scale back a little bit. I'm glad I chose what I did. Given that I am only working part-time, spending money to go to Europe would have been difficult. The biggest downside of the foraminotomy is that I need to wait approx 12 weeks before I can go back to exercising and other activities at pre-surgical levels without taking a chance and compromising my surgery. In about 2 weeks I should be able to drive and do normal everyday things as long as I don't put added stress on my neck. There is always a chance that I may need surgery in the future as I have a 2 levels of fusion from C3/C5. However, the most likely spot of future surgery would probably be C5/C6, where there is an existing bulge and adjacent to the fusion. My hope is that if that becomes worse and needs treatment, it will be at a point in time when insurance allows ADR directly below a fusion. In my case, I'm glad I did it here in the U.S. I know many of you had no choice. It was either a matter of living your life as a cripple here or getting your life back by getting ADR in Europe now. I need to mention a couple things I've learned about this process. It seems pretty clear who the good surgeons in Europe are. One of them is Dr. Biersted. However, I do not like his American team leaders, especially, Kelli. She tried to scare me off of a foraminotomy by sending me a link to one in the lumber region (mine was cervical) and telling me that it might de-stabilize my spine. She told me this on the premise that she cared for me and my well-being. Little did she know that I am in a family of physicians and I do have a good relationship with my surgeons who have done non-ADR surgery in the past. I learned that she and her other American counterparts get a commission on patients they send over to Dr. Bierstedt. I find it interesting that she had her surgery by Dr. Ritter-Lang and is doing well, yet now works on Dr. Bierstedt's team. I also find it interesting that she is going to chiropractic school while being a team leader for Dr. Bierstedt. I have nothing against chiropractors, but they are trained in manipulation and one of their big selling points is to prevent surgery. I believe that Kelli is using Dr. Bierstedt to finance her training, but once she becomes certified she will discourage the very surgery that she received and is now pushing. Gene
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Car Accident 2002 - Small Herniated Disc C3/C4 1998 Larger Herniation and Cervical Fusion C3/C4 2005 Herniation C4/C5 - 40 epidural steroid injections from Oct 2005, - Oct, 2007 2008 - Foraminotomy at C6/C7 on left side Feb, 2010 - Cervical Fusion C4/C5 Dec, 2010 - Lumbar Fusion L3/L5 2013 - Bulge on C5/C6; herniation C6/C7 right side Mar 26, 2013 - Foraminotomy at C6/C7 on right side May 5, 2015 - ADR with Dr Blumenthal of TBI for C5/C6 using Mobi-C |
#66
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Gene, I am so glad that you were able to get this procedure done. It sounds as if this was the correct surgical option for you. Best wishes for your continued healing!
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02/2010- Car accident resulting in C4/C5 & L5/S1 bulging and extruding discs. 06/2012- Successful ADR surgery for C4/C5 disc in Cyprus using PCM by NuVasive. Performed by Dr. Mark Peterson through the help of AIMIS. 09/2012- Successful Disctectomy of L5/S1also performed by Dr. Mark Peterson. |
#67
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Adr
Interesting point on bierstedts team members. I have spoken to Bierstedt and liked him very much but dealing w his team is another story. The malte situation makes me nervous from the stenum stories. However Bierstedt patients seem to do very well
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L5 S 1 herniation burning feet groin pain. Undisgnosed for months finally getting answers. |
#68
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Gene,
Foraminotomies, can destabilize the lumbar spine. However, according to my new "toy", The Handbook of Spine Surgery, by Baaj, Mummaneni, Uribe, Vaccaro and Greenberg, MDs, it says: "In contrast to the anterior discectomy approach, posterior cervical foraminotomy is not destabilizing; therefore, there is no need for fusion/implants or harvesting autograft." Since the foraminotomy has taken care of your spine pain, then that was the right avenue for you to go down. IMHO, the less invasive a surgery, the better. ADR and fusion are major surgeries and they shouldn't be undertaken if something less invasive can work. I think it is great you did your homework and chose wisely when it came to surgery. In my case, I did not have the option of a less-invasive surgery. Since the pain was coming from the disc itself, nothing short of a fusion or ADR was going to help. I had annular tears and my intervertebral discs needed to come out. Take it easy for those first twelve weeks and feel better, Kimmers
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hurt back lifting, herniated disc at L4/L5. DDD |
#69
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Agree with you on Dr. Bierstedt
Quote:
Everything I've heard about Dr. Bierstedt as a surgeon seems positive. I was ready to use him until my surgeon at home convinced me to do a less invasive procedure instead. Once that happened, I started getting negative comments from Kelli, Ken, and Malte. I have learned that they get paid on a commission basis, so I'm not surprised with some of the things that they've said, trying to scare me but using the premise that they care about me. What a load of B.S. Gene
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Car Accident 2002 - Small Herniated Disc C3/C4 1998 Larger Herniation and Cervical Fusion C3/C4 2005 Herniation C4/C5 - 40 epidural steroid injections from Oct 2005, - Oct, 2007 2008 - Foraminotomy at C6/C7 on left side Feb, 2010 - Cervical Fusion C4/C5 Dec, 2010 - Lumbar Fusion L3/L5 2013 - Bulge on C5/C6; herniation C6/C7 right side Mar 26, 2013 - Foraminotomy at C6/C7 on right side May 5, 2015 - ADR with Dr Blumenthal of TBI for C5/C6 using Mobi-C |
#70
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Surgical decisions are difficult enough without surgical staff pressuring you and making you second guess your decisions. I am not familiar with Dr. Bierstedt or his staff, but could the negative comments be chalked up to poor English translation skills?
I try very hard to only think the best of people. I'm not naive, but I like to operate under the premise that all people are good. I believe in following the "golden rule", and I would hope that others, especially those who are in the position of helping others, would do likewise.
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02/2010- Car accident resulting in C4/C5 & L5/S1 bulging and extruding discs. 06/2012- Successful ADR surgery for C4/C5 disc in Cyprus using PCM by NuVasive. Performed by Dr. Mark Peterson through the help of AIMIS. 09/2012- Successful Disctectomy of L5/S1also performed by Dr. Mark Peterson. |
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