Originally Posted by Carmont on October 7, 2004

SURGERY DATE:8/06/04

AGE AT SURGERY DATE:38

SURGEON: Dr. Ritter-Lang, Zechel

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC:Stenum

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s):Charite @ L4-L5 and L5-S1

COST =28,000.00
AMOUNT BILLED:0
INSURANCE ALLOWED:0
OUT OF POCKET:$33,000.00
TRAVEL:$5,000.00
EXPLANATIONS?No insurance allowed


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: Herniated L5-S1 lifting old dog into truck 3/00, ongoing problems. Rear ended in auto accident 5/04 - new rupture at L5-S1 and L4-L5.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): Discectomy/Laminectomy 11/00, several ESIs, facet denervation.

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS:Neurontin, Zonegran, Oxycontin

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...):All of the above

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.):Pain usually 7 even with meds, low back pain %70, left leg pain %30, some bladder dysfunction, numbness and tingling in foot

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):See above + not able to work, but no disability status. Functioning at about 25% of previous level. Most outdoor activities I enjoyed no longer a part of my life.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 2- 3 months

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE:Post-op 1 day, miserable. Unrelenting pain and discomfort from heat in unair-conditioned recovery room. Better each day after.

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: _4__ SATISFACTION: __1_ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [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 in my back 95% gone. Still severe pain in left leg, some pain in right leg. Limitations in place, but active in pool therapy and walking 2+ miles daily.
Very poor placement with both discs. L5-S1 very posterior with plates hanging off of edge of vertebra, anterior placement of L4-L5. May require revision surgery, but waiting to hear recommendations from three ADR surgeons. No acknowledgement of placement problems from Stenum, only that the discs had to be placed there. Malte Petersen will not reply to my phone calls or emails. I have serious concerns about the durability of these discs. Great improvement of back pain, worse leg pain.
3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

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?]):