New to the ADR group

[thejoker6981]

In case anyone wondered what a Prodisc C looks like in an MRI.

[thejoker6981]

Started doing some research on what the Radiologist's report said about my middle and lower back compaired to what the Neurosurgen said "Just bad muscle spazems". Due to increased pain and its only getting worse. And I'm not really likeing what I'm finding. Its seems like there is alot more to my pain then what he is saying. Any advice from what anyone sees in the Tscan? Maybe Scheuermann's disease?

[Harrison]

Lee, I am no expert, but this image looks impossible. I'd be curious (know I mentioned this before) to know what the radiologist report says. If you can, cut and paste that info here (sans personal information).

[thejoker6981]

This is the only thing that the radiologist's report said about my t-scan. word for word.

[Spiritwalker42]

Hello Lee,,

I am new to the forums also and am very sorry to hear of what you have been going through.. I had a Prodisc-C at C5-C6 in March of '08.... it migrated fwd enough that I had a revision in September of '08. The revision has been stable. The surgeon told me that I had incurred some scar tissue on my right nerve root at C5-C6 which he cleaned up but he said it might return... I do have some positional associated pain I think is related to this but for the most part, seems to be good. Much better than how I was previous to the first surgery.

When my surgeon went in for the revision, he did tell me that if we ran into issues, he would have to do a fusion.

I hope you can get a proper diagnosis of you pain and can get it remedied. I know how difficult and depressing it is to be limited and in pain.

I wish you well, Sincerely, Ken

[Spiritwalker42]

Originally Posted by annapurna

I'd suggest flexion/extension x-rays as well.

In addition to getting some flexion/extension xrays, it might be helpful to get some oblique views .. they can show the condition of your foraminal canals where your nerve roots pass through... I asked my surgeon if we could get them at one point and they did it for me. I was curious to see the alignment after the prodisc was put in

I will dig out my cds and try to get some screenshots over the weekend...

cspineantobl

take care, Ken

[thejoker6981]

For about a month after my surgery I was doing great. I only had the normal pain the the surgeon told me I would have but then I started going down hill fast. From looking at the X-ray's I wondering if the disc was set way to far back and its pushing on my cord. Also I was wondering if anyone else still has numbness in their neck? I was told that the feeling would eventually come back but from the inscision site all the way to my chin is still numb.

[Spiritwalker42]

Originally Posted by thejoker6981

Also I was wondering if anyone else still has numbness in their neck? I was told that the feeling would eventually come back but from the inscision site all the way to my chin is still numb.

Hello Lee,,, I was also numb up to my chin for quite some time.. I'm can't recall how long though.. I would say easily 3-4 months..

I think that your adr is placed far enough back, to far off of center, that it throws off the dynamics of movement greatly. Looking as the side view, I can see that the spacing between your spinous process is a good bit larger than at the other levels. I think as you bend your head back the level where the adr is would lock up before it should stopping what should be natural movement at that level. When you bend forward, the forward part of the adr will touch and create a fulcrum that leverages on the vertebra above and below in a way that is not natural or good. Also by being placed to far back, it creates a new vertical center axis that creates issues when turning your head to the left or right. Ad in bending your head back and turning left or right or whatever I think would surely cause weird movement on your facets to... leveraging on them in a bad way.

Of course I'm not a doctor but in some ways, it is simple mechanics.

My Prodisc is also not perfectly placed. I gotta dig out my xrays and post up some for you to see. From a side view it looks like my adr is almost touching in the rear instead of being parallel in the prone position. I also get a fulcrum action going on when bending my head back. I think that quite possibly the surfaces of my vertebra were not properly surfaced so that once the disc was inserted the two endplates would sit parallel to each other. This might also be inherant of the prodisc being a ball and socket device. This is why I am concerned about how it would work out getting one in my lumbar spine.

I think I need to see more images of other folks that have the prodisc to see there are folks with ones that sit nice and parallel.

Ken

[thejoker6981]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I will be meeting with the neuro again on the 26th and I'll post what he says. I have "A LOT" of questions to ask him.

[thejoker6981]

update on my situation. New surgery date of December the 18th. I was told by the surgen that he will be removing the pro disc C. And because of the alignment of my neck he is going to have to do a fusion on several levels. Of course I will have limited movement in my neck afterwards and I will be forced to medically retire from the Army but I will be ok with that as long as some of the pain I have been feeling has gone down. My post op date is on the 13th and I'll ask him this question but I was just wondering. Will I be put in a Halo or just have to wear a neck brace until the fusion is complete?

Happy Holidays everyone and god bless you all