[Tom B.]

Thanks, Fathub, for the encouragement and advice!

Beaverc, it was the anterior approach only, with a vertical (not a medical word?) incision. I think I saw somewhere that for just one disc, the cut is horizontal.

My thinking about going to Europe - thank goodness that the surgery I needed wasn't covered by insurance - so that I was forced to go where the surgeons have the most experience AND where the cost is lower.

It's really a shame that, after ten years of paying attention to ADR, I haven't seen that there are dozens of surgeons with LOTS of experience, covered by insurance and using disc designs that are more standardized according to each purpose or individual case.

I mean, really, what's the hold-up with this technology? Fusion is necessary in many cases, I'm sure, but for people who are forced into it for economic reasons or because they aren't as informed as we are on this forum, it's not fair.