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  #11  
Old 01-10-2017, 05:43 PM
Romakis's Avatar
Romakis Romakis is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 197
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Clavel did 2-level on me - I will never regret it, he is great guy and doctor!
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46yo, DDD of L4-S1. Microdiscectomy L5-L4 in 2014. L4-L5-S1 M6 ADR with Dr. Clavel - June 2015.
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  #12  
Old 01-11-2017, 07:50 PM
SteveOch SteveOch is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big_A_2246 View Post
I'm curious why people are going to other countries for this procedure. I found what I think is a highly trained ADR surgeon in Chicago and from what I've read they are really all over the place now. What am I missing?
A two level lumbar ADR is not approved in the US. Therefore, we must look to Europe for this procedure.
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______________________________________
03/2001 Laminectomy/Discectomy L4-S1
12/2002-12/2004, sought 4 new opinions for discomfort and all recommended a Fusion
01/2005-06/2015, continued discomfort and had many PT sessions
06/2015, began what is now a 1-1/2 year decline followed with my usual discomfort in the late hours of the day
01/2017, Considering ADR surgery, 60 year old after 2 new recommendations for a L4-S1 Fusion
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  #13  
Old 01-14-2017, 09:58 AM
WakesurfMike WakesurfMike is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 37
Default have you looked at xiomed freedom lumbar disc?

http://www.axiomed.com/pdf/WPaperSWISSSpineReg.

The Freedom Lumbar disk outperformed all other disk.

The Freedom lumbar disk has completed the 5 year study and will hopfully get Fda approval soon. (later part of 201?)
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WakesurfMike
2007 Herniated L5/S1 Lifting changing X-ray tube at work. MRI PT/ Steroid shots/med
2009 switched to Remote/phone support
2010 workman’s comp lawsuit
2011 Microdiscectomy approved 80% pain relief
2011-2016 few flare ups but would always get beter after a few days.
6/2016 Pain is not going way
07/2016 MRI, tramodol, Nucynta, Celebrex
08/2016 Regenerxx PL-Disc shot- didn’t work at all
10/2016 can't even stand or sit for work for 30 minutes before pain gets worse
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  #14  
Old 01-14-2017, 10:30 AM
Blizzaga Blizzaga is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 130
Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by WakesurfMike View Post
http://www.axiomed.com/pdf/WPaperSWISSSpineReg.

The Freedom Lumbar disk outperformed all other disk.

The Freedom lumbar disk has completed the 5 year study and will hopfully get Fda approval soon. (later part of 201?)
The results for the Freedom disc look very promising. Not enough long term results, but still may be a good candidate to succeed the 1st generation tdrs. Note that here the Freedom was compared against all historical implants collectively, so it is not really "fair". It may still be better though.

Appendix 1 first case is a bit strange. I am surprised they did not do l4l5 as it is clearly degenerated. But maybe it did not cause symptoms for that particular patient.
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2015 Lost ability to sit
2016 Gradually worsening despite conservative treatment
2016 L4-L5, L5-S1 activ L success!
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  #15  
Old 01-16-2017, 07:37 PM
SteveOch SteveOch is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 4
Thumbs up

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blizzaga View Post
Appendix 1 first case is a bit strange. I am surprised they did not do l4l5 as it is clearly degenerated. But maybe it did not cause symptoms for that particular patient.
Exactly! It look terrible.
__________________
______________________________________
03/2001 Laminectomy/Discectomy L4-S1
12/2002-12/2004, sought 4 new opinions for discomfort and all recommended a Fusion
01/2005-06/2015, continued discomfort and had many PT sessions
06/2015, began what is now a 1-1/2 year decline followed with my usual discomfort in the late hours of the day
01/2017, Considering ADR surgery, 60 year old after 2 new recommendations for a L4-S1 Fusion
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  #16  
Old 01-17-2017, 11:46 AM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
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Ten years ago, at a spine conference in the US, Zeeger's threw up a slide with an MRI showing two clearly dessicated and collapsed disks and asked the audience which was the pain generator. Then, when everyone had pointed to one of the two obviously damaged disks, explained that the pain was from the torn and leaking but radiographically sound disk above those two. Can't trust imaging to tell the whole story.
__________________
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 01-17-2017, 03:38 PM
Blizzaga Blizzaga is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 130
Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by annapurna View Post
Ten years ago, at a spine conference in the US, Zeeger's threw up a slide with an MRI showing two clearly dessicated and collapsed disks and asked the audience which was the pain generator. Then, when everyone had pointed to one of the two obviously damaged disks, explained that the pain was from the torn and leaking but radiographically sound disk above those two. Can't trust imaging to tell the whole story.
I guess you are correct. Maybe they removed the bulge from L4L5 in the case I mentioned. It wouldn't show on the x-ray.

I can imagine the surprise of the audience at that conference I wonder if Zeegers makes speeches at conferences nowadays. I guess he has really seen it all!
__________________
2015 Lost ability to sit
2016 Gradually worsening despite conservative treatment
2016 L4-L5, L5-S1 activ L success!
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  #18  
Old 01-17-2017, 05:07 PM
phillyjoe phillyjoe is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 286
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And of course the sad thing about this is that docs often want to do discograms in the hope of finding the pain generator. This was the case for me with respect to my L4-5 and L5-S1. The former was shifted to the rear, a real spondy, and the latter was about gone. Foolishly I agreed to the disco. Result.....inconclusive. I still have pain down both legs and haven't made a decision on the next step, since like everyone else here, I can't get any two docs to agree to anything.
__________________
Pre Surgery:
C3-C4:Mild disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate right facet arthrosis. Mild right foraminal stenosis.
C4-C5:Midline central disc protrusion, significant. Mild canal stenosis.
C5-C6:Moderate disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate canal stenosis. Moderate-severe bilateral foraminal stenosis.
C6-C-7:Mild-moderate disc osteophytes. Mild canal stenosis. Moderate left and moderate-severe right foraminal stenosis.
June 29,2016-3 level M6 (C4-C7) Dr. Clavel Barcelona
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  #19  
Old 02-22-2017, 07:45 PM
Nestletea Nestletea is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 33
Default Why Patients travel out of country

Many have asked why patients travel out of country for lumbar disc arthroplasty. The answer is pretty easy: Insurance still considers the procedure experimental/investigational.

Well I was all scheduled for surgery with Dr. Garcia - Lumbar ActivL on February 15th and Florida Blue denied at the last minute. I then quickly filed an expedited internal review which Florida Blue denied. Then On February 13th, I filed an expedited external review.
My frustration has continued, as the expedited external appeal that was filed through Florida Blue was denied. This has exhausted all of my insurance options in the United States. Therefore, I will be headed to Barcelona on March 13th to have a lumbar ADR with Dr. Clavel. I have thoroughly researched the neurosurgeons in Germany and Spain and based on patient outcome and insurance provided by Dr. Clavel's office for the surgery, the decision was easy. Also, I have researched the activL and M6L and discussed both discs with several US and European surgeons. In the end, I will go with the M6L. This disc has an 80 year lifespan vs. the activL that has a 30 year lifespan. I feel at peace with the decision and look forward to feeling better in the near future!
__________________
1/8/2016 - Microdiscectomy L5/S1
3/17/2016 - Cervical Disc Replacement C5/C6 (Mobi-C)
10/19/2016 - DeKompressor Wand L5/S1
1/16/2017 - Cervical Radiofrequency Lesioning
3/15/2017 - Dr. Pablo Clavel: Cervical Disc Revision C5/C6 (M6-C) and Lumbar Disc Replacement (M6-L)
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  #20  
Old 02-22-2017, 10:15 PM
phillyjoe phillyjoe is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 286
Default

I am hoping for at least half of that 80 year lifespan for M6. But really, how do they know? the testing is not in vitro. I wonder what the lab testing life of a typical implanted 20 year knee replacement is?
Good luck. I have nothing but good things to say about my Spanish team. In fact, and maybe it was just luck, but as a solo traveler with no language skills, the kindness of the Spanish people toward me was remarkable. Gave new meaning to phrase to be thankful for the 'kindness of strangers".
__________________
Pre Surgery:
C3-C4:Mild disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate right facet arthrosis. Mild right foraminal stenosis.
C4-C5:Midline central disc protrusion, significant. Mild canal stenosis.
C5-C6:Moderate disc osteophytes. Mild-moderate canal stenosis. Moderate-severe bilateral foraminal stenosis.
C6-C-7:Mild-moderate disc osteophytes. Mild canal stenosis. Moderate left and moderate-severe right foraminal stenosis.
June 29,2016-3 level M6 (C4-C7) Dr. Clavel Barcelona
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