Surgery approved! But now what to do?

str8shooter5 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-2009, 08:27 PM

hello first off i wish you the best of luck, I also had a discogram and now i am in the prosses of getting approved for surgery they told me i need an ALIF so i was wondering what an ADR is? ?here is a link to see the alif ALIF: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Video - 27k

melodyl · #2 (**permalink**) 01-12-2009, 10:42 PM

You will have to choose which dr. you feel the most confident will provide you with a good, long term outcome. I had a 3 level ADR surgery recently and never had a discogram. My surgeon actually strongly cautioned me to not have one when the pain management dr. I was seeing recommended it. My surgeon told me that discograms were not only painful, they were not accurate and could actually be harmful. Isn't it strange how many different opinions different drs. have about a single subject? Good luck with your decision. Let us know what you decide and how it turns out for you.

Melody

dshobbies · #3 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 01:18 AM

First... a discogram is necessary to reveal pain generators. We've been around the block a couple of times and a doctor will not remove a disc that causes no pain. I've only heard of a couple discographies that actually caused damage but in most cases, the benefit outweighs the risk.

Second, str8shooter5, I assume that you're serious in not knowing what an ADR is? It is an artificial disc replacement as opposed to an ALIF, which fuses two vertabae together. Your diseased or damaged disc is removed and replaced with a motion preserving device and today, various manufacturers offer several choices of design. If you really don't know what this is, do not commit to the ALIF surgery until you do your homework and can decide for yourself which is better for your specific circumstances. Your doctor may not recommend this for several reasons including those that may be self-serving so educating yourself is very necessary. Now would be a good time to contact Mark. For many of us, it gave us back our lives. You do not have to agree that this procedure is better or will benefit you but you can't make an informed decision without knowing and understanding all your options.

I'm not telling you that you have a bad or incompetent doctor and you may not be a good candidate for an ADR but your not knowing what it is raises questions that can only be answered by a second and/or more opinions, and by doctors that are well versed in both surgeries.

Good luck to all, Dale

Eastex · #4 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 05:35 PM

First off, Str8shooter5, please listen to these people on here and get all the information about your options on surgery. Go to the Charite` web page and read up on it. I am not saying that is the one to use, but it will explain a little about ADR Surgery. There are many to choose from. Get informed. Now back to me. The ADR surgeon called today and I told him I would let him know something by the end of next week. They need to know because they have to schedule the general surgeon to move my "inards" out of the way. I decided to tell him that since my disco is next Wednesday. After the disco, I see the TS&J surgeon that afternoon for the results. I am going to tell the surgeon at TS&J about my insurance approving a ADR with the other surgeon. I am scared about the disco. The surgeon told me it will feel like I have had a twelve pack while they are doing it. I could live with that! But the crap poking me in my back doesn't sound fun. Is it like a Spinal epidural injection? I can handle those.

ans · #5 (**permalink**) 01-13-2009, 07:41 PM

Maybe others can chime in but I'm not sure if they know what's the best route for the L5-S1 level, ADR vs. fusion. Of course, there's various ADRs and fusion techniques. Good luck to you. This level has messed my life nicely.

mmglobal · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2009, 12:53 AM

It's so hard to trust the information we are getting. Many surgeons still can't perform ADR. Many have been to training and have done some cases, but the hospital's risk management dept doesn't want them doing ADR because of the pending lawsuits.... or the hospital administration doesn't want them doing ADR because reimbursement issues are still a free-for-all.

I'm not horribly afraid of a single-level fusion, but for MY body... I'll choose ADR over fusion if I'm a good candidate.

Do your homework.... you'll have to live with the results.... not the claims adjustor... not your doctor.

Good luck!

Mark