[annapurna]

Bad news, you've pretty much caught most of the concerns. One additional one that has come out over time is that the Prodisc can permit hypermobility and lead to facet damage.

Good news, to some extent the vertebral fracture potential can be reduced by confirming bone density ahead of time and working with a skilled surgeon. Doesn't make that concern go away but it does reduce it. The hypermobility concern can also be partially addressed with strength training (once you're recovered to the point where that's safe). Laura's had two Prodisc-C's and uses strength training and prolotherapy to address the hypermobility.

Overall, it's pretty difficult to evaluate one ADR against another. Partially because most of what we accept as their attributes is actually marketing hype and partially because there's been little head-to-head testing or evaluation. As you're in academia, you'll understand that studies are generally only done when the study author is likely to be funded to do it. My, frequently expressed, opinion is that the most significant factor leading to ADR success is the surgeon's skill, not the ADR. If you feel like you're being railroaded, especially in that you can't speak with the surgeon, that's probably a far better indication that you need to delay and get your worries addressed