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  #1  
Old 10-02-2020, 11:59 AM
GDB GDB is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Default Recommended ADR Surgeons/Clinics

Hello ADR support folks,

I talked with my decompression surgeon and he agreed that degenerative changes have left me with two choices: multi-level fusion or ADR with or without stabilization. He also suggested that Germany was light-years ahead of the USA in this area of ortho reconstructive surgery.

Annapurna suggested Doctors Clavel and Bertagnoli as two excellent options. I wondered if folks had other suggestions or warnings. Dr. Ritter-Lang gave me a consultation some years ago, but the fusion portion of the option is not my first choice.

Best regards and wishing everyone health, mobility, and limited pain.
__________________
G D Beckett, Utah

Multi-level (ML) lumbar spondylo - Grade I
ML lumbar DDD: S1/L5 auto-fused, L4/5, L3/4
ML lumbar facet hypertrophy & arthritis
ML spinal ligament hypertrophy
ML lumbar stenosis, both stem and main nerves
Other medical words that I can't pronounce or spell (Baastrups??)
Pain, lots of pain and then some more for good measure!
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  #2  
Old 10-03-2020, 11:15 AM
annapurna annapurna is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GDB View Post
Annapurna suggested Doctors Clavel and Bertagnoli as two excellent options.
To be honest, I suggested those two because, if remember correctly, both offer remote diagnosis through film review and phone call/Zoom/whatever. I wouldn't fear to have either work on my back but the remote diagnosis is what I was thinking of for them.

We just had another member on the board have everything ready to go and was about to board the plane to see Clavel for a revision only to have Spain refuse to allow her to enter the country. I was thinking that getting a remote diagnosis might, stress might, allow you to argue with whatever country you need to travel to that you need the surgery and only a world-class surgeon could do it.

The explanation is to head off any arguments over merits of individual surgeons - if you're going overseas, you're going to have to work around COVID travel restrictions. That adds a layer of requirements onto an already complicated task of picking a surgeon who you'd trust.

As for Ritter-Lang - there was a time that anecdotes shared about him were flat-out scary. You can probably find them here or elsewhere online. I've not heard much about him lately so I can't tell if he's cleaned up his act or all of the spine patients that come to this board have chosen to exclude Ritter-Lang based on what's been shared here.
__________________
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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  #3  
Old 10-05-2020, 03:53 PM
GDB GDB is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Default Medical Restrictions in Germany

Hi folks,

Just got a response from the German consulate with a link to their travel exclusions. With regard to medical, it reads:

Urgent medical reasons may exist if a treatment can only be performed in Germany or at least cannot be performed in the person’s country of origin or has already begun in Germany and if failure to receive the treatment would be life-threatening or could cause considerable long-term damage. This is to be proven through relevant documentation. The person may enter with up to two necessary accompanying persons.

Here's the link: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/f...html#f13919566

Best regards all. Thank you Jim for the kind thoughts.
__________________
G D Beckett, Utah

Multi-level (ML) lumbar spondylo - Grade I
ML lumbar DDD: S1/L5 auto-fused, L4/5, L3/4
ML lumbar facet hypertrophy & arthritis
ML spinal ligament hypertrophy
ML lumbar stenosis, both stem and main nerves
Other medical words that I can't pronounce or spell (Baastrups??)
Pain, lots of pain and then some more for good measure!
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  #4  
Old 10-09-2020, 04:24 PM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default I just came back from Germany

Thank God Spain denied me entry.
Through another member here; I found Dr. Schmitz at Clinic Bel Etage in Dusseldorf Germany.

His skill and experience with revision is amazing! My HO had attached itself to my dura. I had revision surgery on Sept 21st. I had a spinal fluid leak that would not stop on it's own, so on the 25th he had to go back in a seal it
Dr. Schmitz has a special mesh and gel that he uses. He also has an ultrasonic bone scalpel that minimizes milling. He has been interviewed by Jamie Litrun on TDR/ADR Support Group on Facebook. You can find the interview on You Tube. He also is partner in the clinic. It's a private hospital too. He was 5000 euros more than Clavel, but worth every penny.

I received the best care here. I pray you contact tehm!

Their International Patient Coordinator sent me a Letter of Certificate that I carried with me. I also did a Health Declaration Card from the German Border Police website. I took a covid test least than 48 hours prior to departure
__________________
54 yr old female 5'7" 147 lbs. non-smoker conservative treatments failed
2007 fusion @ C4-6 peek cages, failed due to long term use of cox-2 inhibitor
2008 revised C4-6 donor bone, plate & screws
2009 fusion with Roi-C @ C3-4
2015 MRI & CT mjr ddd @ C6-7, segmental kyphosis at C7-T1, 2-level M6-C prosthesis by Dr. Clavel Barcelona Spain
2019 H.O. formed behind M6-C @ C6-7 left nerve rt & in spinal canal.
2020 Revision C6-7 to a CP-ESP prosthesis by Dr. Schmitz Dusseldorf Germany

Last edited by Cheryl0331; 10-09-2020 at 04:24 PM. Reason: Typo
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  #5  
Old 10-12-2020, 10:27 AM
GDB GDB is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Default Thanks Cheryl

Thank you Cheryl!

Pardon my ignorance, what does "HO" mean? Is it a complication for all ADRs, or specific areas or disc replacement types?

Good luck with your recovery, appreciate the advice.
__________________
G D Beckett, Utah

Multi-level (ML) lumbar spondylo - Grade I
ML lumbar DDD: S1/L5 auto-fused, L4/5, L3/4
ML lumbar facet hypertrophy & arthritis
ML spinal ligament hypertrophy
ML lumbar stenosis, both stem and main nerves
Other medical words that I can't pronounce or spell (Baastrups??)
Pain, lots of pain and then some more for good measure!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-12-2020, 11:13 AM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GDB View Post
Thank you Cheryl!

Pardon my ignorance, what does "HO" mean? Is it a complication for all ADRs, or specific areas or disc replacement types?

Good luck with your recovery, appreciate the advice.
Heterotopic Ossification. It doesn't happen to everyone or only with any particular adr. You can develop HO even around a fracture or hip replacement.
__________________
54 yr old female 5'7" 147 lbs. non-smoker conservative treatments failed
2007 fusion @ C4-6 peek cages, failed due to long term use of cox-2 inhibitor
2008 revised C4-6 donor bone, plate & screws
2009 fusion with Roi-C @ C3-4
2015 MRI & CT mjr ddd @ C6-7, segmental kyphosis at C7-T1, 2-level M6-C prosthesis by Dr. Clavel Barcelona Spain
2019 H.O. formed behind M6-C @ C6-7 left nerve rt & in spinal canal.
2020 Revision C6-7 to a CP-ESP prosthesis by Dr. Schmitz Dusseldorf Germany
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  #7  
Old 10-12-2020, 07:22 PM
phillyjoe phillyjoe is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 286
Default

Hope you continue to recover well. Aside from the plumbing patch, any other issues with removal of the M6? Did you get ESP or Prodisc on the revision?
__________________
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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  #8  
Old 10-13-2020, 09:37 AM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default Hi Philly

Thankfully Dr. Schmitz was able to place a cp-ESP. He wants a 6 week and 12 week Post-op X-rays with flexion extension. So around Nov 6th, I will get my first series.

The pain from traction during surgery and having to lay in bed for 48 hours was really rough. Revision surgery due to HO as advanced as mine is very complex. I should have had it done a year earlier. If its obvious that it is encroaching a nerve or going in to the spinal canal; one need to monitor closely and determine if benefit out weighs the rush. It did in my case.
__________________
54 yr old female 5'7" 147 lbs. non-smoker conservative treatments failed
2007 fusion @ C4-6 peek cages, failed due to long term use of cox-2 inhibitor
2008 revised C4-6 donor bone, plate & screws
2009 fusion with Roi-C @ C3-4
2015 MRI & CT mjr ddd @ C6-7, segmental kyphosis at C7-T1, 2-level M6-C prosthesis by Dr. Clavel Barcelona Spain
2019 H.O. formed behind M6-C @ C6-7 left nerve rt & in spinal canal.
2020 Revision C6-7 to a CP-ESP prosthesis by Dr. Schmitz Dusseldorf Germany
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  #9  
Old 10-14-2020, 04:17 AM
beaverc beaverc is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 125
Default Europe / Germany

Cheryl0331
Hello Cheryl just a quick question , I know you said Spain would not allow you to enter but when you entered Europe / Germany were you required to quarantine / isolate for 14 days before proceeding with your medical treatment ?

Thanks !
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  #10  
Old 10-14-2020, 08:15 AM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default Reply to Beav.

Yes and no. I went direct from the airport to my room at the clinic. Masks worn at all times except when in my room alone. You are not really able to go out to a local shop or anything like that. Keep in mind; you must have a negative covid test 48 hours or less prior to departure. If you are going for medical reason it's different from going for other reasons. You have to carry the Passenger Locator Card at all times. I check in for admission on 9/18 and surgery was 9/21 and I was discharged on 10/4
__________________
54 yr old female 5'7" 147 lbs. non-smoker conservative treatments failed
2007 fusion @ C4-6 peek cages, failed due to long term use of cox-2 inhibitor
2008 revised C4-6 donor bone, plate & screws
2009 fusion with Roi-C @ C3-4
2015 MRI & CT mjr ddd @ C6-7, segmental kyphosis at C7-T1, 2-level M6-C prosthesis by Dr. Clavel Barcelona Spain
2019 H.O. formed behind M6-C @ C6-7 left nerve rt & in spinal canal.
2020 Revision C6-7 to a CP-ESP prosthesis by Dr. Schmitz Dusseldorf Germany

Last edited by Cheryl0331; 10-14-2020 at 09:01 AM. Reason: Typo
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