Fusion or no? Advice please.

[berry]

Maddie

Here's a link to some of his published work:

http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medli...20AND%20Duggal[AU]

I'm not sure if you will be able to access the full papers, may be just the abstracts. Hope its helpful. I'm pretty certain I have a copy of the last in the list which I could either scan or post to you if you'd like. There is likely something in the site article library if you search.

Lynda

[Maddie]

You are a sweetie! I will go through it at length this evening, and let you know how it helps.

All the best,
Sue

[berry]

Hi there Maddie

Here's the info on the surgeon who did the disc replacements on the people my Canadian relatives know:

Dr Andrew Yee, 2075 Bayview Ave., Toronto M4N 3M he works out of Sunnybrook Hospital 416 480 6815 fax 416 480 5886.

Good luck

Lynda

[Sandra L]

Fusion is going to be a thing of the past. If you can't find anyone in Canada who will perform replacement surgery, contact Drs. Andrea Fenk-Mayer (she looks at your MRI, etc) and Rudi Bertagnoli (the surgeon who partnered with a US company to develop the Pro-Disc C device, surgical instruments and surgery and trained US doctors in the clinical trials) at patientaffairs@pro-spine.com in Germany.

The cost of my surgery was not covered, but found that the German price was far less that the cost of surgery here in the US. Things may have changed since cervical replacement was approved here.

The cost of my surgery was about 42,000 Euros, not sure what the exchange rate is. But you also have to pay for airplane tickets, housing, etc.

My decision was easy since I refused fusion and a 4-level replacement wasn't available here.

All my research said the fused section puts more pressure on the areas above and below causing addition fusion or replacement down the road. However, everyone is correct in that you don't have a lot of time left to make a decision and if you can't afford to pay for it yourself, it is difficult. I took my retirement money since I thought it wouldn't do me any good to use it for traveling if I was unable to travel. It's a difficult decision. Sandy

[annapurna]

Originally Posted by Sandra L

Fusion is going to be a thing of the past.

Please don't say that. ADR doesn't work for everyone and forcing it into those who can't take it will just lead to terrible problems. Things have just recently gotten better since the use of facet replacements together with ADR but there are still those who can't take ADR.

[Rosie]

Hi Maddie,

I live in Ontario and could give you some info.

[Sandra L]

Originally Posted by annapurna

Please don't say that. ADR doesn't work for everyone and forcing it into those who can't take it will just lead to terrible problems. Things have just recently gotten better since the use of facet replacements together with ADR but there are still those who can't take ADR.

Sorry, but just quoting what spine doc's that I have talked to are saying. They say that within the next ten years there will be no more spine fusions EXCEPT in cases where ADR is not able to be used. For instance, if my bone density tests were not good, ADR would not have been available because the bone would not grow and attach to the artificial disc. So you are correct, in many people my age, fusion would be the only option. I'm just so happy I was able to have ADR as opposed to a 4-level cervical fusion.

[Maddie]

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