L4-5 Prodisc Surgery Set
 

So after a ton of mere browsing through the site I have decided to finally post and to say that I will be having ADR surgery. I was set on going to Germany to have the M6 after each doctor I spoke with said they did not do artificial discs because the "data" doesn't support its' use and that a fusion is the gold standard, however I was lucky I found a neurosurgeon in IL who works with the Prodisc L. The date is set for August 25, 2011. I am nervous and anxious but relieved that this is finally going to happen for me after some run ins with my insurance possibly not covering the procedure despite their clinical policy bulletin stating that the procedure is a covered item. Well I will keep all posted and according to my surgeon I should be discharged in as little as 48 hrs but it all depends on my progress.

Janaya,

Congratulations on getting your surgery scheduled and getting your insurance carrier to cover it. The latter is getting easier and easier, but is still far from a given. Good luck on Thursday; and please update us when you're able.

BTW: For my insurance appeals I performed extensive research and will never let anyone tell me that the data doesn't support the implantation of an ADR(s) into a carefully selected candidate. While there are still a lot of unknowns, ADR, in a good candidate, is proving itself to be at least as good as fusion.

Good luck, Jeff

Welcome!
So glad you did not give up and have a fusion (or have to pay for a trip to Germany)! Sounds like you've definitely been smart and done your research. I admire educated patients!
It is always a bit nerve-wracking to have any kind of surgery, and this one was the most "involved" surgery I'd ever had, but it has (so far) been worth it, I think. Just take that recovery time and go slow! I tried to start being super-active at 3 weeks and it wasn't pretty. That's the best advice I can give you at this point - LET YOUR BODY HEAL after surgery!
My insurance blatantly, black-and-white did NOT cover ADR (TriCare for dependents); they considered it an unnecessary procedure that cortisone injections could treat just as well (Yeah, RIGHT!). I volunteered to be an FDA guinea-pig and have a disc that's currently not in use in the US (outside of the trial), but at least I didn't have to come up with the $50,000 for surgery!
The ProDisc-L is a great, promising device that I know many people have had great success with! Good luck to you!

good luck on your surgery.. keep us posted ...:wiggle: