Coflex f Implants still in pain?

[Gil Denis]

Hi All

I am still here look at the site every day just not posting.
Well here i am in worse pain after two years after my last surgery two Coflex implants lumbar spine.
The latest from three consluts that this devise does not workNow looking at more surgery Fusion two levels or more. sending info to the Vail Stedman clinic with Dr Corenman Has anyone ever heard of him. Seems to know his shit more than others in the past

As always all the best to all
Gil

[jsewell]

I am sorry to hear about all your pain and failed procedures. I hope this doctor is a great one and gets you fixed. I am just about totally fused now so i can relate to it all.
Judy

[Maria]

Saw you post and wanted to say hi...got nothing to say w/regard to new doc you'll be seeing however I hope that you'll have success and relief if you do have more surgery~

take care and even tho I'm sorry to read that you're still in pain and maybe more pain it's nice to see you post. Maria

[Gil Denis]

Hi All

I am still here and dealing with pain LBP Neck Pain still no MRI on the Neck that is coming soon.
The LBP is daily some good some very bad with leg numbness leg weakness ETC

I just had two consults from Colorado spine surgeons One Dr.Villavicenco from Boulder is to have a EMG done, X-Rays Done, disco and possibly fuse one level I have four bad levels with Coflex implants at the lower two.
The Second Dr Coreman form the Steadmen clinic in Vail to do nothing and enroll in the Spine Cord Stimulator! Suggested to do no surgery I suspect this is because this is a workers comp case and pre existing condition Insurance nightmare.

I have finally reached the end of my rope, no money to go to Germany or other great surgeons that may have a solution, the last surgeon with a plain Died

I will send the latest info to Mark update my profile and send it to Dr B and see if he may have a solution or not and if so what is this going to Cost $$$

Gil

[Gil Denis]

Hi All

I have sent all my latest images to Dr Bertagnoli with the help of Tim now the game begins can he help my five levels of degeneratipn FSS ??

Gil

[jsewell]

Gil i wish you the best of luck in getting this next surgery to help you.
I never thought i would be this pain free, almost with my whole spine fused, almost but i am at this point, i hope the same for you in the time to come.
judy

[Gil Denis]

Hello

This is the reply from Dr B so far I will need to send X Rays and other information .
There is certainly considerable nerve pain out there in your case from previous irritation. This will realistically not improve with surgery.
Judy thanks for that uplift

Gil

[mmglobal]

Hey Gil, sorry you are still in it. I'm looking forward to hearing what Dr. Bertagnoli has to say after he sees your updated imaging.

I'm very curious... how did Dr. Pettine treat you after the coflex surgery failed? What does he say about your options?

You only got Coflex at 2 levels, but if I remember correctly, you had severe collapse at more levels??? Is there an understanding about the pain generators... do you know what they are?

All the best,

Mark

[Gil Denis]

Hi All

L5-S1 and L4-L5 coflex implants with no disc at l5-S1 andL4-L5 very degenerated! Dr Pettine suggested not to fuse because the degeneration will continue and I will be fused from my tail to my neck suggested bone marrow stem cell injection at four levels to regenerate the disc ??? Not very nice
New XRays on the way??

Gil

[Ringo]

Hoping all is well for you or as best can be. It can be a hard struggle at times. Let me know how it goes.

I have siginficant degeneration throughout my neck
I had a discectomy that removed about 1/3 of my disk and 3 lumbar fusions.

I am disabled and struggle with pain/burning/aching along the back of my legs, back and neck, and severe headaches. I have suffered emotionally and was hospitalized for depression. But, I will say that that was a great experience when it came to learning greater humility.

My surgeries helped those areas that were fairly obvious regarding pain generators but I have degenerative changes above those areas that complain as well. not sure why my whole back aches especially like it is right now. Chronic long term imflamation and surgeries crammed into the same 6 inches of my lower back is not good for anything. My first sugery was in about 1987. Things have progressed considerably since then but still best not to have surgery if you can help it.

Stay strong brother! Terry

[Gil Denis]

Dear Mr. Denis,

your x-rays arrived and were reviewed. So good to have the full info now.

the scoliotic curvature is more than expected from the MRIs – but apparently fully due to the degeneration.

So Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli expects to correct this along with eliminating the disc pain and realigning facets by:

a) ADR into your l23 l34 l45 and l5s1 (this is maximum surgery already, app 5-6 h OR time, bu feasible in very experienced hands
b) dorsal removal of the present implants, re-instrumentation with a dynamic pedicle screw system (DPI), at L2-l5


a) and b) can and should be done in separate anestehsias, app 1 week apart, to give your systems time to recover. Primary stability is there after the ventral procedure, so you can be mobilized.

Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli wants to point out, that the “standard” solution for your constellation is a (min) l2-s1 fusion, expectedly to be widend to thoracic for better alignement. In his eyes and experience this would however sacrifice mobility without need (even if a dorsoventral combination is not as mobile as a virgin disc would be or once was). And he has gone to use this hybrid construct for comparable cases since several years, if feasible. It is in your case..

Pro-spine will send you a preliminary cost-estimate for the proposed surgical plan. Be back to me via this e-mail account, if you wish to be scheduled. Of course our staff will be here to support you with local travel arrangements like airport pick-up and hotel etc. I am here to answer your further medical questions. We thank you for the honor of your inquiry. Feel free to be back with any questions you might have.


Well this is huge all the options in this country none had offered and help except a Spinial Cord Stimulator or a four level fusion and fusing my S Joint
Now how to come up with the money arround $100 grand

[mmglobal]

I would ask... with the coflex-f in situ for 3 years, plus the severe degeneration for so long before, what are the odds of auto-fusion.

You may be able to get insurance to pay for a 2 or 3 level fusion, then cap it off with ADR or other motion preservation? Minimally invasive fusions may be possible with XLIF or ALPA approach (but not likely at L5-S1).

With all the "I'm not a doctor" qualifiers... just asking questions!

Mark

[Gil Denis]

Hi Mark

I have included some questions to Pro Spine Well see what they say

One quick question for you, Are there any surgeons in this country who could do this multy level surgery ??

Thanks

Gil'

[Gil Denis]

Would this stop the degeneration of my spine to other levels?
actually no. No surgery (but fusion, which eliminates any mobile function) can keep a segment from aging.
But: an ADR can no longer age. And the facets as the mobile junction left would be realigned and supported by the implants. So there is reason that their aging is reduced as compared to what you have now (hypercompression by lack of disc height, unphysiological movements).
Degeneration of the segments ABOVE the implants however is a relevant issue: This should not be influenced by the surgery suggested by Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli. Because it is motion-preserving. The adjacent segmetns would however be heavily overloaded and be prone to degenerate faster-than-normal in an alternative fusion. This is one of the core reasons why Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli recommends and takes the efforts to go non-fusion even in an extent case like yours.

Could i be pain free?
Very unlikely, this just is no realistic goal (at least not without pain meds):.
Could i began to get some activity back in my life? Sports?
This is a realistic goal in Prof. Dr. Bertagnoli`s view. (not competitive martial arts etc., of course).
With the coflex-f in situ for 2+ years, plus the severe degeneration for so long before, what are the odds of auto-fusion.
No realistic, we never have seen this happen
How long is the recovery?
recovery is very individual, and this can be a prognosis based on experience: we`d expect you to be up on day one, mobile in a hotel setting to care for yourself at app day 6-8 after the second surgery. Sitting is allowed immediately, but not comfortable expectedly for 2-3 weeks for a prolonged time. Which limits driving. Light exercise like swimming and walking or light work-out: start at week 4-6. For heavy manual labor, or sports with a higher risk of trauma wait 3-4 months to give your bone ample time to integrate your implants even in extreme mechanical loads.

Now what

Gil

[Sessy]

Hi Gil,

Am I reading correctly that Dr. B would remove your implants dorsally? And he would replace them with an ADR?

Just wondering because it was kind of confusing for me to interpret the post.

If so and he can do that, that is just awesome. Maybe you can appeal to the insurance company to pay for at least some (most) of it.

Ses

[mmglobal]

As I understand the recommendation, the coflex removal must be dorsal surgery, while the ADR implantation would be abdominal surgery. I have seen Bertagnoli use a system that allows ADR through a posterior approach, but it is not a posterior ADR replacement... it is for people who need ADR AND facet replacement.

Mark

[Maria]

for your thoughts Gil.. have you scheduled surgery, had surgery, are thinking of how to get the $ to have surgery? Just wondering what you're up to these days and hoping you're doing Ok.

Maria

[Gil Denis]

Hi all

I cannot afford to go out of country for surgery Not winning the lottery at least not yet
My surgeon has just called me and suggested a four level dynamic stablization DSS at four levels removing the coflex implants or leaving them in and fusing the L4 to S1 My concern is what keeps the damaged disc from continuing to degenerate and what holds the spine in place ?

Will let you know what happens better than a spinal cord stimulator ??

Gil

[vnf]

Gil

Any update?

[Gil Denis]

HI Vickey

I am still dealing with insurances workers comp dissability

Surgeon is sending surgical procedure to WC four level DSS With very bad disc or no disc left at lower level I do not think this is the best solution?

Contacted Dr Zeegers Still no reply I would like to hear his take on this and his cost?

I just had a major set back and finished a dose pack things have now setteled down for now!

Thanks Gil

[vnf]

Gil

Doesn't sound like fun

I was hoping those coflex would work.
Dr Zeegers has a pretty full schedule right now.
Takes him a bit to get back to you.
His consult is $1200 but it takes him hours of work
and he is very thorough. I don't regret paying his fee.

Keep your thread updated please