Originally Posted by spursmike on October 7, 2004

SURGERY DATE: 8/5/04

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 41

SURGEON: RITTER-LANG, ZECHEL

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: STENUM, GERMANY

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): 2 LEVEL CHARITE, L4-L5, L5-S1

COST = $31,000
AMOUNT BILLED: $31,000
INSURANCE ALLOWED: 0
OUT OF POCKET: ALL
TRAVEL: $3000
EXPLANATIONS? BEST $31,000 I'VE EVER SPENT!!


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: PROGRESSIVE DDD DIAGNOSED 08/2002, BEGAN CONSERVATIVE THERAPY UNTIL 03/2003, THEN WAITED FOR FDA APPROVAL IN U.S. FOR CHARITE UNTIL SURGERY IN 08/2004 IN GERMANY.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): NINE EPIDURAL INJECTIONS OVER 1.5 YEARS

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS: ULTRACET, VICODIN, BEXTRA

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...): MRI, DISCOGRAM,

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.): CONSTANT PAIN IN LOWER RIGHT BACK (7-9.9 OUT OF 10 PAIN SCALE), THEN NUMBNESS/TINGLING DOWN BACK OF RIGHT LEG, THEN PAIN ACROSS LEFT BACK, THEN NUMBNESS/TINGLING DOWN BACK OF LEFT LEG

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to): SAME AS ABOVE, ON SHORT-TERM DISABILITY FOR 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO SURGERY

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 9 WEEKS

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: FIRST OF GROUP OF 10 AMERICANS TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE. FIRST NIGHT IN POST-OP RECOVERY ROOM WAS THE WORST, LONGEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE, NO A/C AND HOTTEST WEEK OF THE SUMMER, TEMPS IN 90'S DURING THE DAY, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. EACH FOLLOWING DAY WAS PROGRESSIVELY BETTER. DISCHARGED AFTER FIVE DAYS TO 5 STAR HOTEL FOR ONE WEEK. VERY NICE.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:
1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

FUNCTIONALITY: 5 SATISFACTION: 5 [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: 6 SATISFACTION: 5 [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [2 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): PAIN LEVEL: 2-3 OUT OF 10, PAIN MEDS CUT DOWN DRASTICALLY, ONLY TAKEN AS NEEDED, AVERAGE 1 PILL PER DAY, POST-OP NUMBNESS ON LEFT THIGH HAS SHRUNK TO SMALL AREA OF UPPER THIGH. WALKING DAILY .5 TO 1 MILE, BIKING 2X A WEEK 3-5 MILES, SWIMMING 1X PER WEEK, DRIVING WITH LITTLE DISCOMFORT UP TO 30 MILES.

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): PAIN MEDS ALMOST ZERO. ONLY TAKE AS NEEDED; AVG. 1-2 PER WEEK. PAIN IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE. ONLY FEEL BACK ACHE AFTER EXERCISE, BUT IT SUBSIDES AFTERWARDS. OTHER THAN SETBACK FROM SERIOUS FLU/PNEUMONIA IN LATE OCT-EARLY NOV, PROGRESS HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):