New Member - in severe pain post ADR surgery C4-C5
 

Hello to the ADR Community,

In need of help. After suffering from shoulder pain and weakness, and severe bicep pain, I underwent a one-level ADR at C4-C5 with the Prodisc device...This surgery was offered to me as an alternative to the more traditional fusion (MRI showed a severe disc herniation at C4-C5, along with mild bulging at C3-C4 and C5-C6)..At first, surgery was a success as bicep pain alleviated substantially, but the muscle was left feeling week and atrophied..5 months of PT ensued, where bicep was feeling better but I started experiencing onset of tricep numbness and severe pain in forearm extending into the wrist...Bam, this has gotten severely painful in the last month, I've totally lost my hand dexterity..to where i am inside in bed all weekend long, and can barely make it through a workday...NEW MRI's inconclusive, as the PRODISC has interfered with imaging...CT Scan with Myelogram done this past week, Dr. says "Everything looks great"..device is perfectly implanted..new EMG's now show a total mess suggesting a BILATERAL C6 radiculopathy...

So, my questions are:

Does anyone know who can give me a second opinion on the implanting of this device?

Does anyone know if another ADR can be performed at the level below? (My instincts tell me i should have had 3 level ADR initially)

I am in the New York City area. Does anyone know Dr.'s in NYC who can consult and possibly perform an additional ADR?

In Severe Pain!! HELP!!!!:mad:

Jdog,

Condolences on the pain; been there and understand.

Of your questions, I can answer only one. Yes, a second ADR can be performed beneath the existing one. There have been a few people on this forum that have had multiple adjacent cervical ADRs; at least one with three ProDisc's. However, I don't know if there are any insurance companies that will pay for multiple cervical ADRs (I know that mine didn't). Do you know if your surgeon is willing to place an adjacent ProDisc?

There is a lot of experience and knowledge on this forum, and I'm sure that someone that can address your other questions will chime in soon.

Good luck!

Jeff

An x-ray should give you an idea of whether the device was implanted correct or if it subsided. You hadn't mentioned x-rays. A more detailed scan on the MRI should give you and idea if an adjacent level is going or the CT myleography should have done it as well, if the doc you spoke to actually checked the adjacent levels. If you get a copy of them, you could look to one of the overseas surgeons for a second opinion for a fee (mail the CD or films). You could also just take a close look at it yourself and check the condition of the spinal cord as it passes in and around the three levels. Your condition sounds very advanced so even a beginner should be able to spot problems.

My surgeon is only trained on one-level ADR's..I guess the concern is that i had one opinion suggest a 3 level fusion before I had the one level ADR...

So, i'm thinking if i wasnt symptomatic at C6, it was just a matter of time

I've had X-rays, MRi's, CT Scans...all suggest the device is perfectly implanted..

One thing is for sure..the C6 symptoms are 100 times worse than the C5 symptoms..nothing worse than losing your wrist extensors...

Anyone have a Dr. name in NYC area? Ive spoken to delamarter but California is a long way away from NJ..

I am sorry to learn of your post-surgery problems. First, yes, it is possible to have multiple Prodiscs implanted--a friend has 3 cervical ADRs and is doing well.
The only name I know of (through this forum) in NY is Dr. Bitan. You might also want to check out Dr. Yue at Yale in New Haven.
Wishing you good luck with this.