Any experience with AD moving out of place
 

My AD at C4 has moved out of my spinal column by more than 50% at this point. It has moved to the front of my neck. I am including a picture of my x-rays. Has anyone had experience with this?

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...404_092120.jpg

Is that a ProDisc? When was the date your implant was put in and who was your surgeon.

Yes I believe it was. My surgery was Oct 2010 and my surgeon was Dr Virones . He is a neurosurgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center (I didn't have cancer my mom is an RN there) in Tampa, Florida.

I live in Houston, TX now

Getting frustrated with surgeon
 

My husband and I really like my new surgeon when we met him last week. He was very honest and complete with us both and our questions.

I had an MRI on Friday. I was told that the results would be back Mon or Tues and posted on my patient line on Tues or Weds.

Nothing so far. I spoke with his nurse yesterday (after calling twice) she said he was going to dictate it yesterday afternoon and it would be there for me to listen to. But so far nothing. He was going to decide what exactly he needed to do and if there were multiple levels. Then they would get approval from Ins. and then we could schedule.

I honestly get all that, but I feel like my situation is sort an emergency. My C4 AD is coming out the front of my spine and is over 50% out already. My arm is going completely numb, I have no strength in it, the pain is horrible, and tingling is getting worse by the day (this I am sure is from a lower disc problem, probably C7 level under my previous fusion)

Ok vent over! Again I really like him and don't want to switch but not sure I am happy with the flow of info from his office.

P.S. this is my first surgery with him.....


[IMG]http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...404_092120.jpg[/IMG]

I assume you have already talked to Dr. Virones. What has he said about your situation?

Also, was there any kind of jarring event that would have caused this?

I just blew up the image to see it up close. Wow. What a horrible spot to be in! I feel for you.

I can definitely see those fused discs under the failed implant and the bottom c7(I think) whose space is also nearly collapsed. I would also figure that that is where your new pain is coming from, down there.

You really need to find out why this ProDisc came out. The reason why I say this is because I think the best solution would be to have two new ADRs put in, one above and the other below the two fused discs. As much as you may be against ADRs due to your experience, I wonder how much of this had to do with surgeon error as opposed to either device or bone density problems. From a strictly mechanical perspective, if you went with fusion again, it would mean your entire neck would be one long immobile column. I don't know how old you are, but I would think a competent doctor, either in the US or overseas, would be able to address this issue with you and suggest bookending the fusion with ADRs. Just my opinion.

Get 2 to 3 more opinions if you can afford the wait to do so. And get the best ones to give it. You need to move quickly.

Any experience this before
 

Yeah Dr Cartwright says he doesn't think I would be a candidate because of the healthiness of the bones. He would not do an ADR even if I wanted it. Which honestly I don't. I am terrified of this happening again.

I was thinking of calling my PCP and see they recommend another surgeon on Monday if I don't hear from him by this afternoon.

My real main concern is that I can't find any information on what this does while and after it is being pushed out. Apparently this is very rare.....


If anyone has experienced this I would love to hear your stories....

I'd call up the TBI and get there ASAP.
Texas Back Institute

Hard to reply
 

sorry, but this is scary, don't want to sound the alarm bells, but if this were me, I would find a good Dr, overseas, that has experience with motion discs, I have read a lot about the M6, and Like the post above me, I am sure that this would really scare you from seeking an opinion, about more ADR's.

This is probably the biggest reason for the FDA not allowing discs, they allow a few, like the Charite, the Prodisc and the Flexicore, and they fail.

Now they won't allow others, that do work.

The Charite works preserving motion, but like the Prodisc, has too much motion, and is hard on the facet joints.

This is a hard call, how many ADR's has this Doctor performed?

If I were you, I would send this to an experienced facility in London or Germany, and seek their advice, sooner than later.

Motion is better than a fusion, and if the disc is properly placed, it would not move like this.

Hope you can make the right choice, like some, or a lot of us, we deal with this,(some on a daily basis) an there is NO easy solution.

Since the initial ADR had a large keel, is it even possible to have another ADR put in?
Being in Texas i would go to TBI ASAP