Artificial Disc Replacement

[Christopher L]

Hi,hope you can help me.Has anyone had ADR?I dont want fusion,ADR is a good alternative for me,not seeing spinal surgeon until June9, seen him twice b4,this time is to disguss sergery options,not sure if he does ADR,only fusion has been mentioned.Do you know of a surgeon in Uk who does ADR?Has anyone had it, if so what are the results?Hope you can help!TRacey.

 

[McPurple]

I had an operation on 11th February for C4/5 anterior cervical discectomy and cage.

Is this the sort of operation you are asking about?

PM me if it is and I will answer as many of your questions as I can.

 

[White Delight is awesome!]

Hello,
im not sure,what is a cage?please explain and did it work,thanks for your reply,Tracey.

 

[two_white_horses]

Try searching on google. This link tells you something about it.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3794/is_200206/ai_n9100318

My disc was removed and the surgeon put a tiny 'cage' in it's place. As you read, it is a carbon fibre filled with bone. This is placed where the problem disc is taken out to keep the spine stable. Eventually, in time the spine is supposed to grow around the disc, stabilising the spine even more.

As you may imagine as I only had this done 6 weeks ago and have been off work ever since, it is not a small operation. I have been left with a scar near the front of my neck (the surgeon goes through the front, hence anterior) and sometime pain in my right shoulder from where the surgeon worked on the nerves in my right arm. Other than that some of the problems are that my neck aches quite badly especially as the day goes on and I have to put my soft collar back on, and I can't as yet lie on my side to sleep, can't drive, have to wear the collar in a car, can't lift any heavy objects and have to be careful not to strain my neck.

I can't tell you if it has worked as I am due to see the consultant tomorrow, but it has given me feeling back in my left hand and some if not all feeling back in my right hand.