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  #1  
Old 11-07-2010, 02:05 PM
ouch2 ouch2 is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 163
Default ADR in Ontario Canada

Hi I am new to this forum. I need to either have ADR or fusion at the l5/s1 level. I was wondering if anyone knows or has had experience with any surgeons in Ontario Canada that perform both?
thanks
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  #2  
Old 11-07-2010, 04:23 PM
hey_look_its_dave hey_look_its_dave is offline
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Posts: 53
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I live in Toronto but decided to go to Dr. Zeegers at the BetaKlinik in Bonn, Germany (at my own expense), so I'm no help.

The only guy I know of in Ontario is Dr. Kevin Gurr in London Ont.

London Health Science Centre
4th Floor
Westminster Tower
800 Commissioners Road East
London ON N6A 4G5
Phone: (519) 685-8500

However, I've heard rumors that you'll be older than Yoda before you get your first appointment. I dunno if it's true though. Might be worth a try, as he was the first surgeon in Canada to do ADR. It was back in 2001, if my memory serves.

I also heard there was a guy in Montreal and also in Quebec City. Surely we have someone in Ottawa too, but I've not heard of one.

Dave

EDIT: Oooh, I just found this post:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f51/adr-canada-8136/

and in the outcome forum:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f47...ing-good-6830/
__________________
Toronto, Canada
41 years old

1997: L5-S1 left-side disc herniation
epidurals and perivertebral injections
Jan 23, 2009: discotomy in Toronto
July 2009: L5-S1 left-side further herniation
epidurals and perivertebral injections
June 8, 2010: L5-S1 Activ L ADR by Dr. Zeegers at Beta Klinik

https://sites.google.com/site/daveadr2010/
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  #3  
Old 11-08-2010, 12:13 PM
robinj's Avatar
robinj robinj is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 16
Default

I had my ADR's done in Brandon, MB by Dr. DeMeulenaere. However I'm having a lot of trouble after the last one and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with what the doctor did or not.

Wish you the best.
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Rob
94 - fell off roof fracture L2
99 - L3-L4 herniated disc - in hospital 6 days
01 - start of severe leg & back pain
02 - L3-L4 herniated disc - in hospital 5 days
04 - DDD L4/L5/S1
07 - Prodisc L4/L5
08 - return of leg & back pain
09 - Prodisc L5/S1
no releif & pain increasing + other complications
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  #4  
Old 11-09-2010, 04:49 AM
Maddie Maddie is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 138
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I've run the gamut with almost every surgeon in Ontario over the past five years and posted my story in a couple of forums. Give up on Gurr...I had no use for him. There isn't a surgeon in this province that admits to doing ADR now and even if they did, I wouldn't go for it as they don't have the experience. OHIP told me there were fifteen surgeons doing ADR but wouldn't tell me the names of more than five. Those five said they didn't do it anymore.

There is a good fellow in Quebec City though, and OHIP will cover it. If you want to get more details on any and all of my experiences, I'd be happy to chat either on the phone or by PM/email.

I ended up going to Brazil to see Dr. Luiz Pimenta for three levels and couldn't be happier. Of course it was self-funded, but worth every cent. I had significant neurological problems from spinal cord compression at C5/6 and unbearable pain and spondylosis at L4/5 and compression at L5/S1. As mentioned above, no Ontario surgeons will operate "just for pain" and to them, the cervical level was just "too dangerous". According to Dr. Pimenta, it was Spine Surgery 101, and anyone worth his salt should have been able to do it without issue. I'm glad I was given the runabout and had to go out of country.

All the best, and I'm here to help if you like.
__________________
C3/4-5/6- Mod. ant., severe posterior bulging w. nerve root compression. Sev. narrowing of spinal canal with cord compression.

L4/5/S1- Mod. narrowing, bulging disc, significant hypertrophy of flava lig.

Highly allergic to all metals.

NEW: 3/16/2010: Successful surgery in Brazil w. Dr. Pimenta; Nuvasive NeoDisc at C5/6, and XLIF & ALIF at L4/5/S1 w. PEEK cages. No rods, screws, plates. Non-metal lumbar ADR not available at present time, so went with fusion.
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  #5  
Old 11-09-2010, 01:08 PM
ouch2 ouch2 is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 163
Default thanks!

Thanks for the replies! hey look its Dave, i have read the links that you sent, they were informative.
Robin, sorry that you are having problems since your surgery. What sort of problems? if you don't mind talking about it.
Maddie, I am hoping to be able to have my surgery in Canada...soo expensive out of country....but also want someone with experience, that I am comfortable with...so might consider the alternative.
Does anyone regret having adr and wish they went with fusion?
thanks...hope everyone has a painfree/less day.
Karen
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  #6  
Old 11-09-2010, 04:46 PM
hey_look_its_dave hey_look_its_dave is offline
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Posts: 53
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Absolutely no regrets about ADR. Even though I'm not pain free, I'm MUCH better than before (it's now about 5 months post-op).

Dave
__________________
Toronto, Canada
41 years old

1997: L5-S1 left-side disc herniation
epidurals and perivertebral injections
Jan 23, 2009: discotomy in Toronto
July 2009: L5-S1 left-side further herniation
epidurals and perivertebral injections
June 8, 2010: L5-S1 Activ L ADR by Dr. Zeegers at Beta Klinik

https://sites.google.com/site/daveadr2010/
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  #7  
Old 11-09-2010, 04:48 PM
Jstuckey's Avatar
Jstuckey Jstuckey is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 305
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Hi. I just thought it was interesting that we both signed up on the same day, needing the same surgery. I'm looking for info on L4-5, L5-S1 ADR outside of the US also. I don't know anything about Canada. That's pretty close to Indiana. I'll keep a watch on your posts. I'm currently leaning toward Dr Bertagnoli in Munich, but I'm fearing the cost. Already in the works for a second mortgage. Just saw my local ortho surgeon (who wants to do an ADR and a fusion - but insurance won't pay) this morning, and he worked with Dr. B 9 years ago when he was learning ADR surgery. He spoke highly of him and was actually more supportive of going oversees than I ever expected from an Indiana physician.
Anyway.... good luck with your research. I'm overwhelmed and questioning every day if I really feel bad enough yet to go through with this.
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Joey Sue - 50 years old
9/28/2011: Hybrid STALIF TT interbody fusion at L5-S1 and M6-L ADR L4-5 with Nick Boeree, UK - forever grateful to you Nick! Still doing great.
Prior to the fix: Severe DDD L4-5 and L5-S1 with moderate facet degen at L5-S1, but only mild facet degeneration at L4-5.
http://healthyback2011.blogspot.com/
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  #8  
Old 11-09-2010, 05:13 PM
Maddie Maddie is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 138
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Hi Joell,

I have to run for a bit, but just to let you know that the cost of my surgery in Brazil with one of the very top surgeons in the world was $10-$15K less than going to Germany. Just a thought....

Plus waiting longer for surgery sometimes backfires. I was told that the chances of being pain free or having less pain went down the longer a person waited. The nerves sometimes won't forget that they don't hurt anymore, for lack of a better explanation. I am very lucky and my pain is down at least 80%.
__________________
C3/4-5/6- Mod. ant., severe posterior bulging w. nerve root compression. Sev. narrowing of spinal canal with cord compression.

L4/5/S1- Mod. narrowing, bulging disc, significant hypertrophy of flava lig.

Highly allergic to all metals.

NEW: 3/16/2010: Successful surgery in Brazil w. Dr. Pimenta; Nuvasive NeoDisc at C5/6, and XLIF & ALIF at L4/5/S1 w. PEEK cages. No rods, screws, plates. Non-metal lumbar ADR not available at present time, so went with fusion.
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  #9  
Old 11-09-2010, 08:51 PM
Jstuckey's Avatar
Jstuckey Jstuckey is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 305
Default

Appreciate all info! Thanks! Sending info to Munich and Barcelona tomorrow. Will check out Brazil as well!
__________________
Joey Sue - 50 years old
9/28/2011: Hybrid STALIF TT interbody fusion at L5-S1 and M6-L ADR L4-5 with Nick Boeree, UK - forever grateful to you Nick! Still doing great.
Prior to the fix: Severe DDD L4-5 and L5-S1 with moderate facet degen at L5-S1, but only mild facet degeneration at L4-5.
http://healthyback2011.blogspot.com/
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  #10  
Old 11-09-2010, 10:45 PM
Maddie Maddie is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 138
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Sometimes it takes a while to get a response from Dr. Pimenta....he travels a lot I think. My first MRI went missing and I sent a second to his San Diego address. I can PM the address if you want to send it to both.
__________________
C3/4-5/6- Mod. ant., severe posterior bulging w. nerve root compression. Sev. narrowing of spinal canal with cord compression.

L4/5/S1- Mod. narrowing, bulging disc, significant hypertrophy of flava lig.

Highly allergic to all metals.

NEW: 3/16/2010: Successful surgery in Brazil w. Dr. Pimenta; Nuvasive NeoDisc at C5/6, and XLIF & ALIF at L4/5/S1 w. PEEK cages. No rods, screws, plates. Non-metal lumbar ADR not available at present time, so went with fusion.
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