Doctor needed!!

[pochofeo]

Hi

I very much need to know of doctors in my area and/or the US with experience doing multi-level cervical ADR. I've been waiting over a year to see if my insurance co (United Healthcare) would begin covering the surgery or to figure out a way to pay for surgery at Stenum or Prospine or to get into a clinical trial somewhere.

Now I have no choice as I have deteriorated dramatically in the past two months. Cord stenosis affecting all limbs. Nerve root compression now resulting in weakness and loss of fine motor control. etc.

Are there any surgeons performing multilevel cervical ADR in South Florida?
How about anywhere in the US?

Thank you for your help

Frank

[Cindylou]

Frank, first of all, sorry you are in so much pain. I am not aware of any US docs offering multi-level cervical (or lumbar, for that matter) adr, outside of clinical trials. To the best of my knowledge, the FDA has still only approved single level adr. Someone will chime in if they know of any current clinical trials, but it does sound like you need surgery now. Europe is way ahead of us in the total disc replacement experience, especially multi-levels. Remember to consider Dr. Bertagnoli as well at ProSpine in Germany if/when you start your search overseas. Good luck. And oh, welcome to SPS as well. Cindylou

[KBear]

Welcome to the forum! Sorry you are in such bad shape and I hope you get the surgery you need soon. I live in North Texas and had surgery in Miami, FL (Aventura, FL) with Dr. Garcia in the Activ L clinical trial. I don't know of anyone doing multi level ADR in the US; but it is possible to get a hybrid here (one fusion level and one ADR level). There are several people on here who have hybrids.

Here is a link to the FDA website on clinical trials Home - ClinicalTrials.gov You can search for trials through this site, find out where the trials are and get doctors names and numbers that are participating in them. Sometimes a term will bring up tons of results, other times no results, so try using different key words to get different results.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have, we are here to help!
Kathy

[Katie]

The surgeon that did my cervical ADR in March is based in Brazil, but also works in California and Mexico. He uses cutting edge technology and came highly recommended...and I second that! He used an appliance that isn't yet approved in North America, the NeoDisc made of silicone, made by Nuvasive in California.

His name is Dr. Luiz Pimenta, and there is a thread about him under the International Travel forum here (the last one on the main forum page). His contact information is there, but if you have trouble finding it, just let me know and I'll give you his email.

All of my neurological problems disappeared as soon as the surgery was over...numbness in the arms and hands, trouble with my balance, bladder & bowel problems, etc. I had been told here at home that they would never be resolved, that the best I could expect would be an end to the progression, but not to expect any improvement. He proved them all wrong. :thumpup:

[Gilbert P]

I Frankg

Yes their are surgeons here in the states doing two and sometimes three level procedures, How ever getting insurance to pay is another topic
Surgeons in other countries are doing multi levels with greater experience the results vary from spine to spine.

Continue to study and send your information to several surgeons

Being a cervical spiney you should have great results with an experienced surgeon.

Here is to good health

Gil

[rhatzy]

You can get multi level done here in the states, but it will cost you 2 to 3 times what it will cost in Germany or Spain or Brazil. I know that Insurance is now paying for one level cervical ADR .

Mark

[pochofeo]

Thanks for replying
if insurance companies don't pay for any ADR at all then it really doesn't matter whether the FDA has approved multilevel or not. I unfortunately have united healthcare which I assume will refuse to cover ADR( if anyone knos differently pls let me know)

Stenum and prospine charge a min of around 30,000 euros
for 2 level cervical. that's not much less than some places in the us

[Greg]

Thanks for replying
if insurance companies don't pay for any ADR at all then it really doesn't matter whether the FDA has approved multilevel or not. I unfortunately have united healthcare which I assume will refuse to cover ADR( if anyone knos differently pls let me know)

Stenum and prospine charge a min of around 30,000 euros
for 2 level cervical. that's not much less than some places in the us

From what I heard United Healthcare is one of the few insurance companies that are covering ADR's without much hassle....but dont quote me on that, just what I heard. I though about buying a policy with them and waiting a year for pre-existing coverage to go away and get the ADR but I cant afford another insurance premium and wait a year. So I settled with fusion.....2 WEEKS FROM TODAY....and cant wait.

Best of luck to you and hope you get the treatment YOU DESERVE and soon!

And BTW.....

[pochofeo]

I wish that were true. In fact it's quite the opposite according to three different surgeons with whom I've spoken. Today I called the prodisc insurance help line. The have information about which INS companies have actually paid for ADR. According to them united is the worst, having paid for just a few cases , all of which required extensive appeals.
Apparently Aetna is among the better ones.

[Greg]

wow....I dont like being wrong and hate that I misinformed you. I guess I had some bad intel. It's a good thing I didnt get insurance with them. I'm gonna dig through the forum and try to find the threads I saw with people who had united and got ADR's. Maybe they can help in getting your procedure. Have you looked at any of the Insurance Warrior threads? If your gonna fight the insurance to get your ADR Laurie is your best bet in doing an appeal. Ultimately you can win if you want it bad enough and are willing to put in the time to write the appeal. Hope everything works out for you!