Banhorn, I really don't know what to make of your comment about the surgeon's politeness:
"...though he did offer to stitch it up for me if I would prefer!.."
It's interesting, perhaps odd, that we patients are literally getting into the bowels of surgical details with doctors.
I have noticed through the years and various conversations with patients and doctors that there are myriad differences in surgical techniques; some of these matter greatly in terms of mfr.s' compliance to "proper" implantation of devices. Other techniques may not be taught in school, or in product training, but surgeons develop many refinements over the years. We hear bits and pieces of these refinements here, from doctors, from sales reps or spine brokers.
Ultimately, we have to like and trust the doctor who will perform a very invasive procedure on our bodies. It helps if we also "believe' that the device is the best in terms of design and ease of implantation. I still don't like keeled designs, but it doesn't matter what I think...
What's the latest results on your DEXA scan T scores Banhorn? If your T scores are not optimal, it may be wise to steer away from a keeled design -- or even cleated.
Do tell!