ADR and Fusion combined??

[jessmith07]

I have heard of ADR and fusions being done in conjunction with each other, but I don't think that fusing on either side of the ADR would help. One of the purposes of doing ADR surgery is to help protect the adjacent levels, and so putting the ADR in the middle of two fusions on either side would defeat this point (IMHO).

Have you considered leaving the country and having all three bad discs replaced with ADR's? In the US, there are only a handful of doctors who will do more than one level, because the FDA has only approved a single level at both the cervical and lumbar areas. However, in Europe, hey have been successfully performing multi-level ADR's for quite some time.

My doctor, Dr. Bertagnoli in Straubing, Germany, did my two-level lumbar ADR three months ago, and I am 99% pain-free and have been since about 5 weeks post-op. I was off all pain meds within 3 weeks of my surgery. When choosing a surgeon, be sure to find out his/her experience level, as I believe that makes all the difference.

If leaving the country is not an option, I'm sure there are many people here that can give you names of US doctors who can perform this surgery for you, however, you may still have to travel, as there are only a few really good ones.

Good luck!
Jess

[dshobbies]

Sandy,

Ditto to Jess. You want the ADR on the ends and fusion in the middle. Mark recently had 4 ADRs over 5 cervical levels. He's doing OK but could possibly be further along if he paid attention to his doctor's instructions.

Many people go to Germany because the cost of ADRs in the US is too expensive and insurance is slow to cover this. Before investing time and money in finding a US doctor, you might want to discover if this is covered by your insurance company first. If yes, then staying here may be an option. If no, the cost in Germany, including airfare and hotel stays is much less. For me, 4 years ago, the cost was half but the dollar was a bit stronger.

I don't think you can do better than Dr. B in Straubing or Bogan and the care you receive is far superior to American hospitals. He insists his staff take English lessons so the only problem is TV. Food also doesn't translate????

You should know that ADRs may or may not prevent further degeneration and/or may or may not be successful. Spine surgeries come with no guarantees. Your best bet is the best surgeon. So find out what your insurance will and won't pay for - then proceed from there.

Good luck to you, Dale