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  #31  
Old 02-06-2012, 06:57 PM
laid up doc's Avatar
laid up doc laid up doc is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 775
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are they doing L4/5 and L5/S1?? i thought you couldn't do L5/S1 through the lateral approach b/c it's too low...?
__________________
US non-spine MD - laid up no more!!!
had recurrent annular tear L5/S1, failed everything
M6L done 10/19/11 w/ Dr Clavel getting back to my old self more and more every week!
laidupdoc@gmail.com if my PM box is full

The content herein represents my professional thought and opinions in a general sense only; they do not constitute professional advice or services. if you need medical advice, please consult a licensed physician.
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  #32  
Old 02-07-2012, 01:42 AM
srajan0929 srajan0929 is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 175
Default hi

hey sandy, sorry for the late reply. been doing too much research etc and studying at the same time and trying to make sense of life as I see fit. I have modified my activities significantly. i am now trying to lose weight...weigh 180 tryin to get down to 170 ideally. i think being in a better shape prior to ADR is very important. I have also been running around trying to figure out how to get tests done...like MRI, Xrays and CT scans by friday.

On another note...yes dr. rajakumar is considered probably one of the best doctors in india if not the best. At least thats what i have heard through my family. i have doctors in my family who have asked around and he popped up. Dr. rajakumar is very good in reconstructive surgeries and he probably has done a lot of ADRs in India...He does a lot of research on discs and infections so it makes sense for me to go and see what he has got up his sleeve. You made the right choice in dropping him for ADR. You should generally go with a surgeon who is ultra specialized in ADR and does like 2-3 on average ADRs per week and has done atleast 300 and has consistent successes and can make very good diagnostic of your case (notice all the ands). But otherwise, rajakumar is definitely a good surgeon. glad u made the right choice. and dont go through health base. i was doing the same thing until i found ADR. you can set up your own trips. I am surprised you had a visa issue. Indian embassies love giving visas to americans because well americans spend american dollars there. Anyways...catch ya later
__________________
2006-weightlifting accident.
2008-2 level disectomy/laminotomy. completely healed.
2010: car accident. reherneated
2011-diagnosed with two level DDD L4-L5 L5-S1
2011-ESI performed then 2 level disectomy/lami
12/11: Diagnosed with spinal infection. Currenly on antibiotics (ivy). changes in mri due to infection. rushed to the hospital. got surgical drainage and a laminectomy at l5 and another partial laminectomy at l4.
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  #33  
Old 02-07-2012, 02:00 AM
RedheadJules's Avatar
RedheadJules RedheadJules is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 68
Default I like input!

Quote:
Originally Posted by christinlal View Post
If it helps your decision, I had a prodisc on 09/2009 into c6/7 and was still so miserable and in alot of pain, went to a ton of doc's and found Boeree who did my 2nd surgery of M6 in c5/6 (very successful - finally seeing what life can be like again).
I honestly would have done a two level M6 if I knew than what I now know.
Christine
Thank you for your input Christine!
__________________
32 y/o
Rear End Auto Accident Injury 9/4/2010
c4-5 ruptured disk with moderate spinal cord compression
c5-6 right ruptured disk
moderate spinal cord compression
right ostephyte
c6-7 ruptured disk, moderate cord compression and endplate osteophyte

L3-4 central disk protrusion
L5-S1 ruptured disk

3 level m6 cervical ADR with Dr. Clavel 4/12/12
2 level lumbar ADR in near future hopefully!
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  #34  
Old 02-07-2012, 02:03 AM
RedheadJules's Avatar
RedheadJules RedheadJules is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 68
Smile congratulations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sandy123 View Post
Well, lucky me, I just found out I'm approved for the new XL NuVasive disc with Dr. Pimenta and so will be going to Brazil in the very near future. I guess things happen for a reason and now I'm very happy they did. Like not getting the visa in time to go to India. It all worked out better for me. I would much rather have the XL Nuvasive disc than the Mavrick disc. The XL goes in through the side which I really like and Dr. Pimenta is a top, world wide known surgeon. The XL is in clinical trials right now in 13 states now. Also to travel to Brazil than India is a little bit less scary. Brazil has 24 percent unemloyment right now so a lot of poor people. I will write more once I know more, I just found out this morning. Yeah!!!!
Hey Sandy,

That's who you wanted, so I hope all goes smoothly and you can be in recovery ASAP! I am still waiting to hear from Clavel.
Brazil is awesome... I'm sure you won't be getting out too much, but I wouldn't worry about things if you stay in good areas and keep your purse held tight. Did you schedule already?

Jules
__________________
32 y/o
Rear End Auto Accident Injury 9/4/2010
c4-5 ruptured disk with moderate spinal cord compression
c5-6 right ruptured disk
moderate spinal cord compression
right ostephyte
c6-7 ruptured disk, moderate cord compression and endplate osteophyte

L3-4 central disk protrusion
L5-S1 ruptured disk

3 level m6 cervical ADR with Dr. Clavel 4/12/12
2 level lumbar ADR in near future hopefully!
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  #35  
Old 02-07-2012, 08:54 PM
Sandy123 Sandy123 is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 37
Default

Jules, thanks for that advice, it's always a little scary going somewhere else and you stick out like a foreigner. Good luck on hearing back from Dr. Clavel. I know the waiting is very hard! I hope you hear soon.
Laidup, good catch. Well that is a new direction I'm taking, getting one disc instead of two. My bottom disc was not in that bad of shape and I was going to have 2 adr's instead of just the one because they would be going in there anyway. So now since I'm getting the XL disc we are leaving the bottom disc stay there. All of the other 3 doctors had said my bottom disc was not in that bad of shape. It is a decision I have thought about at just at this point I really feel this is the right choice for me and my age of 58, I hope the bottom disc will last at maybe get some of that stress off of it that is going on now. Right now I'm trying to get a blood test and dexa and ekg and visa set up. I would like to go the 2nd week of March if I can get it all worked out in time.
Good luck to you also srajan.
__________________
1994 - Fused A/P from T3 to L4 with THRS rods (13 discs) Terrible operation at 38 years old
1996 - Rods taken out.
2011 - DDD L4/L5 significant degenerative changes L sided disc protrusion with foraminal encroachment, not central narrowing., L5/S1-mild disc bulging without foraminal narrowing.
2011 - right sided transforaminal injection for sciatica and it worked, yeah!
2011- Scheduled for 2 ADR's with Dr. Rajakumar/India but cancelled until Feb. or March.
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  #36  
Old 02-09-2012, 03:14 AM
srajan0929 srajan0929 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 175
Default hi

brazil also has lots of kidnapping. WATCH OUT. lol jk. but congratulations. i was reading up on that. it looks very promising. hmm...maybe i might consider that...
__________________
2006-weightlifting accident.
2008-2 level disectomy/laminotomy. completely healed.
2010: car accident. reherneated
2011-diagnosed with two level DDD L4-L5 L5-S1
2011-ESI performed then 2 level disectomy/lami
12/11: Diagnosed with spinal infection. Currenly on antibiotics (ivy). changes in mri due to infection. rushed to the hospital. got surgical drainage and a laminectomy at l5 and another partial laminectomy at l4.
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  #37  
Old 02-09-2012, 03:21 AM
srajan0929 srajan0929 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 175
Default hi

hey sandy, could you tell me how you got a hold of dr. pimenta? i might have a phone consultation with him as well and see what he has to say. I know dr. pimenta has invented new procedures that safely removes a disc in case there is a failure. so its good that you are going with him. i also heard that he could be..if not, the best ADR surgeon and spine surgeon the world has seen period....he is generally quoted through numerous articles in the spine research...
__________________
2006-weightlifting accident.
2008-2 level disectomy/laminotomy. completely healed.
2010: car accident. reherneated
2011-diagnosed with two level DDD L4-L5 L5-S1
2011-ESI performed then 2 level disectomy/lami
12/11: Diagnosed with spinal infection. Currenly on antibiotics (ivy). changes in mri due to infection. rushed to the hospital. got surgical drainage and a laminectomy at l5 and another partial laminectomy at l4.
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  #38  
Old 02-09-2012, 06:09 PM
Sandy123 Sandy123 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 37
Default

srajan, Yeah I totally am happy to be able to have him and really trust him too. As with many of the doctors, they are busy & some times takes awhile. His website is:
Cirurgia da Coluna - Dr. Luiz Pimenta
And the address is right there on the site. I think the best way to start is to mail your cd's of x-ray and mri to that address. You would have more luck I'm sure to begin that way so he has something to go on. Just be sure to get the tracking number so you can see if they get it or not, the mail oversea's often gets lost. Send two of them if you want. I really think thats the best way to start. It took me many months to get to this point. I started in November. And now I'm rushing around to get visas and blood tests and bone scan to be able to have my operation by the 2nd week of March. It's still not real yet. Maybe after I put out the money for plane tickets it will be??? Good luck in your search.
__________________
1994 - Fused A/P from T3 to L4 with THRS rods (13 discs) Terrible operation at 38 years old
1996 - Rods taken out.
2011 - DDD L4/L5 significant degenerative changes L sided disc protrusion with foraminal encroachment, not central narrowing., L5/S1-mild disc bulging without foraminal narrowing.
2011 - right sided transforaminal injection for sciatica and it worked, yeah!
2011- Scheduled for 2 ADR's with Dr. Rajakumar/India but cancelled until Feb. or March.
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  #39  
Old 02-09-2012, 07:27 PM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default Jules I am a three level fusion of c-spine

First let me say that I have sympathy for your situtation. i had a two level fusion of the c 4/5/6 and it did not fuse because of NSAIDS which are a cox-2 inhibitor and so needless to say i had a revision sugery the following year. it fused, but it has lead to adjacent level ddd at the c3/4 which was fused two years ago. i truely beleive with ALL my heart if i had an adr i would not be in this state i am now. i am now having adjacent level issues at c2/3 and c6/7 into t1...once you fuse you place stress above and below and it leads to more and more surgery which cost YOU and the insurance companies money. why they won't just approve adr here in the US is beyound everyone! in closing, if i could go back and do adr rather than fusion i would without hesitation. it is really a personal choice as to fly to Europe or stay here with what adr they have vs what you can get in Germany or Spain. if i had my rathers, i would go for the M6, but anything will be better than fusion in MY opinion. my blessing go with you in what ever you choose. - cheryl
__________________
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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  #40  
Old 02-16-2012, 01:26 AM
christinlal christinlal is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 103
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cherylstewart67 View Post
First let me say that I have sympathy for your situtation. i had a two level fusion of the c 4/5/6 and it did not fuse because of NSAIDS which are a cox-2 inhibitor and so needless to say i had a revision sugery the following year. it fused, but it has lead to adjacent level ddd at the c3/4 which was fused two years ago. i truely beleive with ALL my heart if i had an adr i would not be in this state i am now. i am now having adjacent level issues at c2/3 and c6/7 into t1...once you fuse you place stress above and below and it leads to more and more surgery which cost YOU and the insurance companies money. why they won't just approve adr here in the US is beyound everyone! in closing, if i could go back and do adr rather than fusion i would without hesitation. it is really a personal choice as to fly to Europe or stay here with what adr they have vs what you can get in Germany or Spain. if i had my rathers, i would go for the M6, but anything will be better than fusion in MY opinion. my blessing go with you in what ever you choose. - cheryl
Cheryl, I wish you did not have to have all those fusions......I hope you heal and have pain-free days only....

Jules, It is only my opinion, but after all that I researched and read, I just did not want to fuse, I hope you find the right surgeon for you and I hope and pray you will be able to go with adr's. (M6 not prodisc if you can, and if that is what you want).
Christine
__________________
12/2008 early am gym class-something very wrong
2/2009 DDD 4 herniated cervical discs
3/3009-8/2009 8 spinal epidurals, pt
09/2009 C6/7 Prodisc C ADR
11/2010 facet joint inj 12/2010 Rhizotomy TBI Dr. Cottingham months of relief
05/2011 facet Joint Inj 06/2011 Rhizotomy
7/2011 Dr. Zigler TBI, facet block and Discogram
11/18 surgery with Dr/Mr. Boeree..Thank God.
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