[ZorroSF]

I'll admit I didn't read your post word for word, but here's my advice.

Doctors won't tell you if they are or aren't trained in certain procedures. Instead they will advise for or against a procedure without giving you a reason why. in your case you want the disc removed. I suggest you contact a Charity rep and find a doctor in the USA who DOES have training not only in Charity removal, but highly successful removals. If at all possible don't get that thing fused into place. There's isn't enough statistics on fusing a disc in situe. From what I have read (be skeptical), it doesn't have very positive results.

This is the same advice I recommend to prodisc patients too.

Find out what your problem is before you decide on revision surgery. Typically it has to do with onset scoliosis and facet degeneration resulting in pinched nerves or Spondylolisthesis. Much of this could've happend long before you had the ADR in the first place. Which is why I can't stress enough that patients NEED to get as many painful tests as possible pre-op to determine just what is the real pain generator and if there are any other discs involved in your spinal degeneration. One MRI just doesn't cut it.

You may need yet another surgery after your charity removal to fix other issues. Be prepared and don't give up. These surgeries are quite traumatic and require a long recovery period that includes a genius physical therapist who has dealt with every issue in the book and can tailor a regimen to suit your specific issues and not make them worse.