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International Assistance Any topics relating to traveling or communicating with international treatment locations are here.


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  #11  
Old 07-23-2019, 12:44 AM
beaverc beaverc is offline
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Default Fbss

funcrew;

You forgot one FBSS / Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. Apparently if your surgery goes south , you might have contracted the dreaded FBSS. If this wasn't so pathetic it would be comical. The fact that this term even exists is reason enough to go to Europe.

SAD UH?
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  #12  
Old 09-02-2019, 01:29 AM
funcrew funcrew is offline
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Jack,

[EDIT: Upon reading the 2012 follow up study on the ESP that you linked, it looks like they flexed the device 40 million times per direction under 30 to 300 pounds of force, with little to no performance degradation on the elastic core and no failures. That works out to about 3,000 flex cycles per day for my foreseeable remaining lifetime. It still makes me nervous, but I'm going to stick with the ESP.]

What about the non-replaceable cores on the ESP device? You're betting that the flexible core can withstand (in my case) 40 years of flex cycles without failing. If it does fail, then I would need someone to drill out the plates and start over with new ADR or fusion. That seems like a very long service life for a flexible part. Surgery is in 2 days. I meet with Dr. Desai today, will ask whether he would consider a pro disc. Dr. Bertagnoli's salesman Tim Vicknair does not like the ESP for this reason, but he's not an unbiased source.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JackBauer View Post
So many reasons.


6 degrees of movement vs 3 degrees of freedom.
Endplate material
Keel type design (on the Prodisc)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj-j2YjFjqI
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3567327/


This is just my personal opinion. The Prodisc has been on the market longer than the LP-ESP but the LP-ESP was first implanted (first gen device) in 2004, so there is a decent amount of history with the device.


There are a lot of people very happy with their Prodisc. Just who knows what their adjacent vertebrae is going to look like 15-20 years after implantation. It is a gamble either way, I'm just more willing personally to gamble with the LP-ESP. And I've researched this quite a bit.
__________________
Age 56
Severe neck and back pain, 10 years+ on opiate pain meds every 4 hours, numbness and weakness in both arms and legs.
Evaluated by Dr Bertagnoli for ProDisc at L3L4, L4L5, L5S1, C5C6 and C6C7

Sept 4th, 2019: Completed 3 level CP-ESP at C4 thru C7 with Dr. Biren Desai in Cologne, Germany

Scheduled for March 11, 2020: L3 thru S1 LP-ESP with Dr Clavel in Barcelona
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  #13  
Old 09-03-2019, 07:43 AM
JackBauer JackBauer is offline
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Compare the "Literature summary of biomechanical simulations for wear" table at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4705139/

I'm concerned about the PCU aging and plastic deterioration. But when you compare the (apparent) debris generated alone from the ProDisc vs the ESP... And all that metal and plastic that would be thrown out from the ProDisc comparatively...

To be fair there are pros and cons to all of the discs out there. I think the risk vs reward of the ESP is the best. How many completely independent super-respected doctors still use the ProDisc...

Desai, Clavel, Berg, others in Germany, Switzerland... Using the ESP.

And unless we're running, few of us are putting 300lb of pressure on the disc. I know some people go back to weight lifting, etc... I'm going hopefully enjoy my discomfort-free life, improved ROM, etc... And not press my luck.

Good luck - please post an update when you feel up to it in the coming days...
__________________
L4-L5 Broad Diffuse Bulge, mildly contacting left L5 nerve root
L5-S1 Broad Central Disc Protrusion mildly impinging left S1 nerve root
"Mild scoliosis of lumbar spine".
Four central disc protrusions in thoracic spine.

C5-C6, C6-C7 bulging, bone spurs. Imaging not looking good. Successful CP-ESP's placed in Oct 2019 by Dr. Desai.

Delayed lumbar surgery to work on bone density. Considering options now, some but minimal bone density improvement. Will only use LP-ESP.
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  #14  
Old 09-03-2019, 08:48 AM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JackBauer View Post
And unless we're running, few of us are putting 300lb of pressure on the disc.





While I agree with the basic premise: every ADR has its pros and cons, I do need to comment on your statement about forces on the ADR. If you're living a normal life, you're putting 300 lbs of pressure on your ADR. The biomechanics of lifting ordinary loads, hopping up on a step, etc. generate a lot more force on your spine than you'd think. You may not hit 300 lbs every hour of every day but you'll hit it a lot more than you think you will. The person/being/committee/(whatever your belief system is) who did the original design of your spinal column was pretty smart in how it withstands loads without letting you realize how high those forces are.
__________________
Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
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  #15  
Old 09-03-2019, 08:55 AM
JackBauer JackBauer is offline
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Let's say the average mass about L5-S1 is about 120 lbs.


I absolutely do agree that walking will put more than 120 lbs of force on your spine. Just not that every step generates a force of 300 lbs.

It's got me wondering now actually what those forces would be though...

Regardless I don't plan on testing it. Live my life, do some light resistance training... brisk walking... But that's about it.
__________________
L4-L5 Broad Diffuse Bulge, mildly contacting left L5 nerve root
L5-S1 Broad Central Disc Protrusion mildly impinging left S1 nerve root
"Mild scoliosis of lumbar spine".
Four central disc protrusions in thoracic spine.

C5-C6, C6-C7 bulging, bone spurs. Imaging not looking good. Successful CP-ESP's placed in Oct 2019 by Dr. Desai.

Delayed lumbar surgery to work on bone density. Considering options now, some but minimal bone density improvement. Will only use LP-ESP.
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  #16  
Old 09-03-2019, 02:49 PM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
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Activities of Everyday Life with High Spinal Loads

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4035320/
__________________
Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
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  #17  
Old 09-03-2019, 05:36 PM
JackBauer JackBauer is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 92
Default

Wow there's papers on just about everything.


I guess I'm going to need to be extra careful when lifting anything of any real weight going forward.
__________________
L4-L5 Broad Diffuse Bulge, mildly contacting left L5 nerve root
L5-S1 Broad Central Disc Protrusion mildly impinging left S1 nerve root
"Mild scoliosis of lumbar spine".
Four central disc protrusions in thoracic spine.

C5-C6, C6-C7 bulging, bone spurs. Imaging not looking good. Successful CP-ESP's placed in Oct 2019 by Dr. Desai.

Delayed lumbar surgery to work on bone density. Considering options now, some but minimal bone density improvement. Will only use LP-ESP.
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  #18  
Old 09-11-2019, 06:44 AM
funcrew funcrew is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 43
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My view is that if you receive fusion surgery (standard in the USA) then Failed Back Surgery Syndrome is very likely to occur in adjacent levels within 5 years. My father-in-law, a gentleman I no longer contact for any reason, is the poster child for FBSS. He does whatever his insurance-paid Texas back surgeons tell him to do. Dude has very little remaining mobility in his entire spine, and constant severe pain.

Quote:
Originally Posted by beaverc View Post
funcrew;

You forgot one FBSS / Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. Apparently if your surgery goes south , you might have contracted the dreaded FBSS. If this wasn't so pathetic it would be comical. The fact that this term even exists is reason enough to go to Europe.

SAD UH?
__________________
Age 56
Severe neck and back pain, 10 years+ on opiate pain meds every 4 hours, numbness and weakness in both arms and legs.
Evaluated by Dr Bertagnoli for ProDisc at L3L4, L4L5, L5S1, C5C6 and C6C7

Sept 4th, 2019: Completed 3 level CP-ESP at C4 thru C7 with Dr. Biren Desai in Cologne, Germany

Scheduled for March 11, 2020: L3 thru S1 LP-ESP with Dr Clavel in Barcelona
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  #19  
Old 05-06-2020, 07:27 PM
Farmgirl Farmgirl is offline
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Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 3
Default Surgery update

Funcrew,
Did you have your surgery in March as planned. If so, how is your recovery going.
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