Dr Rihn (Rothman Institute / Thomas Jefferson ortho) , get this, recommended a double fusion, C5,6&6,7.
Dr. Rihn also said that he does ADRs but would not recommend one to me because of the extent of my arthritis, disc collapse (which he estimated at 50%), and because "no one knows if ADRs will last more than ten years."
This opinion is an outlier to the range of opinions I have gotten so far. My X-ray states "There is loss of disc space height , osteophytes, and mild narrowing of the uncovertebral joints at c56,c67." MRI states "no significant spinal stenosis."
Considering what I have read about arthritis not being much of a
contraindicator for ADRs and the 10 year comment I left there puzzled by the motives of "the #14 ortho clinic in the USA."
Are my discs up for the junk heap or not!!?
__________________
3/2002 L5-S1 microdiscectomy- went well
1/2012 C6,7 arthritic, ADR recommended
BCBS will cover
UPDATE: No doc since the first surgeon has recommended an ADR. It now looks like I am up for another microdiscectomy / foraminotomy
I'm certain I am not the last for such a diagnosis change so we can all still learn from each others experiences!