Quote:
Originally Posted by beaverc
The x-rays are amazing! This could hopefully be an alternative for people such as myself who have been rubber stamped "fusion only". Did you send your medical records and scans to Dr. B for an evaluation prior to going there for surgery? If I may ask what did American drs. offer, fusion only? Thanks much for the pics.
|
Beaverc,
I originally sent 14 month old MRIs to Dr. B and he did a preliminary evaluation based upon them. I then got up to date MRIs and had a phone consultation with him (and my trauma unit nurse daughter) to assess what he wanted to do. I asked if he could do the 360 mobility preservation instead of the L4/3 fusion as needed for the Grade 1 spondylesthesis he suggested (plus the S1/L5 and L5/L4 ADRs) and he agreed to attempt the 360 mobility preservation if when he went in to insert either the ADR or the pedestal that the present condition of the spondylesthesis allowed the L3 to move back into proper place easily, thus the 360 hardware would retain it on top of the ADR and L4. It did so I have 3 ADRs and the 360 mobility.
FYI, I am a Canuck so Canada is extremely limited in what they will offer as it's socialized medicine with the lowest common denominator being all that's offered. There are some ADRs done but very few and limited and no one offering 3 level ADRs. I talked to a number of other Canucks in my position and they are back skiing, golfing, mountain biking (my addiction) and OF COURSE playing hockey!!
One leading, well respected surgeon from the Blusson Spine Clinic said they don't do ADRs as a 15 year old study said they were no better than a fusion (really---15 year old study!!! My profession has changed huge in 15 years!) and also that they in fact do not do fusions anymore. I was lost and asked what he would do for me......he was somewhat vague but said he'd nerve block the various roots first so that he could ascertain the exact one causing trouble....then operate on that to tunnel out the nerve guide so as to relieve pressure on the nerve and the operation would then ultimately end up with a fusion from removing necessary natural stabilizing bone in the vertebrates. I asked if this would then lead to the other nerves needing done as the discs were desiccated and essentially crushed......he agreed and I replied "if my daughter hadn't have known you it would have taken me 2 years to come and see you, then 2 more years to get an operation so I'd be in constant distress and wait lists"........he agreed and said, "unfortunately, that's the Cdn health system".!!!