Considering C5-C6 Prodisc-C for arm problems
 

Hello! This forum has been a really useful source of information. I’ve been reading other peoples’ introductions and their surgical outcome stories, and I’m grateful to hear the direct experiences of patients.

An orthopedic surgeon recently recommended that I get a Prodisc-C artificial disc at C5-C6. I went for a second opinion with a neurosurgeon, and he agreed.

I’ll try to make my story brief: I’m in my 40’s, and I hardly have any neck pain at all. Instead, I have arm problems: repetitive strain injuries from working in jobs that involve almost constant computer use. After not working for a number of years, some of my symptoms have settled down, but other ones continue.


We’re now looking at the possibility that neck problems (cervical radiculopathy) may be causing some or all of my remaining arm problems. My persistent symptoms are about the same in both arms:

• Finger stiffness: all my fingers feel tight. With increased hand activity, my hands start to turn red and feel hot.
• Forearm “pins & needles” pain: tingling pain along the outsides of my forearms below the elbows.
• Some elbow pain: soreness and tenderness at the elbow and just below the elbow.

I’ve tried all the conservative treatments: rest, physical therapy, neck injections, and so on. Hand activity like cooking and using a computer make the symptoms worsen.

Two areas where I’d love some feedback:

• I’m interested in hearing the experiences of other folks that have had arm problems corrected via cervical ADR surgery, particularly people that have had finger stiffness and forearm tingling pain like me.
• I’ll be pursuing the surgery through standard Medicare, so I’m interested in people’s experiences with getting them to cover most of the surgery costs. My understanding is Medicare approves cervical ADRs for people under 60, but I don’t know how easy the process is.

This is longer than I wanted it to be. Thanks for reading this far!

-Karl

Karl,

Condolences and welcome.

I've had the forearm pain and numbness/tingling on my left side that was corrected by two cervical ADRs. The pain felt like a 90 lb woman standing on my left forearm (especially at night); it was probably a 1-2 on the familiar 1-10 scale during the day, and 4-6 at night. My left hand was mostly numb, except for the constant tingling. The worst pain was in my neck and left shoulder. All pain was gone upon waking up after surgery; in fact, I felt better than I did when they put me out. Today, 13 months later, my left hand is still numb; but NO PAIN.

I'm not a doctor, but while reading your symptoms I kept thinking how it sounded classic of a median nerve impingement in the elbow. This is a common overuse injury for those that have sat for years at a computer. Has that condition been examined/eliminated?

Good luck!

Jeff

Jeff, thanks for sharing your experience.

I had nerve conduction tests, and all three of the nerves in my arms aren't in the greatest of shape, but the radial nerve is the worst. Based on this, I got the radial nerve "released" below one elbow. But when the surgery had no effect, we nixed plans to do the other arm.

I've had elbow MRI's that don't seem to show much, but I think I'll re-review them with my doctor just to make sure we didn't miss anything. I'll ask about median nerve impingement and see what he says. Thanks!

-Karl

Here is an MRI image and an X-ray image, by the way. The MRI image shows a pretty prominent “kink” in my spinal column at C5/C6, where the disc protudes.

My MRI report says: “C5-C6 prominent broad based central and left paracentral disc osteophyte formation. Along with facet arthropathy and uncinate ridging, there is mild-moderate central canal stenosis, partial left lateral recess impingement, mild to moderate right neuroforaminal narrowing and severe left neuroforaminal narrowing.” My nerve conduction test report says, “Evidence of left acute and chronic C6 radiculopathy with left motor axonal loss.”

It's hard to sort out whether the pain is possibly caused at the neck, in the arms, or in a mixture of the two. Two surgeons have advised that ADR is worth doing. Not an easy decision!

-Karl

looks and sounds like my MRI report
 

The image and description are almost identical to mine were pre-adr. I am very glad I had the surgery and would do it again. Just be as sure as you can that the symptoms are coming from that level only.

I happen to have tears in C6/C7 that were not evident in MRI's. I believe I will have a 2nd prodisc in the next year or so.

Karl,

From your images there's no question that you've got something evil going on at C5/6. The x-ray shows close to 50% loss of disc height and the MRI shows a protrusion into the spinal canal.

I wish I could address your Medicare issues.

Good luck, Jeff