Lumbar Disk Replacement Failures: Review of 29 Patients and Rationale for Revision

[Justin]

I knew it was a gamble on a new procedure and I told my gp in 03 that I was willing to be that guinea pig as someone has to do it. I waited 4 more years after that until it got really bad. Today I am so glad I had the ADR implanted ( and the fusion to go with it) and wish I would have done it ealier as it turned back the clock on my lower spine for a decade at least. But one never knows. I was willing to take a chance on the quality of my life. The only problem I had is that the lowerback ADR surgery exposed the fact that my spine is a piece of crap and needs to be completely replaced as there are more problems that were clear as glass after that surgery were befoe it was not so clear were all the crap was coming from. My ADR seems to be working so well that it makes up for the fusion below it and my back feels better then it has for a long time. Yes I still do get pain but there are times with no pain

Oh, edit, the article is an interesting read as it seems to sugest that a carefully planned revision has a good chance of improvement (sucess?). Also there are surgeons out there that are well versed im problem cases.

Fuzzy,

It is great to read stories of people doing well after artificial disc replacement surgery. I understand you have other lumbar issues that the artificial disc did not address. I do hope that those levels can be properly addressed at some point, but I know you are currently focusing on your cervical spine. Here's to the times with no pain!

BTW, you make a very good point about surgeons. There are well-versed spine surgeons that not only take on the "difficult" artificial disc replacement surgery cases, but also the challenging revision surgeries that some Spine Patients may subsequently face.

Yesterday I stepped of a 2 inch step (sidewalk) without realizing it and the jolt caused instant lowback pain and the cervical issues were up with an instant headache to go with it. That made my day. Today the headache is gone but its a reminder to be very carfull everyday.

Ouch! I did something similar the other day while walking in Center City Philadelphia. A lot of the sidewalks and roads need to be repaired and I was walking across a street that was having work done on it. As I walked across the crosswalk, I mis-stepped due to uneven pavement and I was "jolted" hard, as I could feel pain instantly at my surgical site (L4). It was a pretty surreal feeling--it was as if everything was peeled away and I could "see" / feel the pain being referred from my foot to my leg and into my spine at L4 in slow motion. It was one of those "I am going to pay for this" moments.

[KBear]

Ouch! I did something similar the other day while walking in Center City Philadelphia. A lot of the sidewalks and roads need to be repaired and I was walking across a street that was having work done on it. As I walked across the crosswalk, I mis-stepped due to uneven pavement and I was "jolted" hard, as I could feel pain instantly at my surgical site (L4). It was a pretty surreal feeling--it was as if everything was peeled away and I could "see" / feel the pain being referred from my foot to my leg and into my spine at L4 in slow motion. It was one of those "I am going to pay for this" moments.

Last year, I went to a 'concert on the square', which is held in the old area of our town, on the courthouse lawn. This is a lunchtime event, where I drank absolutely no alcohol. I went across the street to get some lunch and while walking back with container in head, just a happily walking, I fail to notice the slight raise in the pavement and fall flat on my face (literally). I was more embarassed than hurt, just got up and pretended nothing happened!

I've also slipped on a squashed tomato on the grocery store floor and fell flat on my back. That time hurt like hell, I got up and yelled at the nearest employee, that they need to keep their f'ing floor clean, that I already have an injured spine and don't need help. I hurt for a week after that. Oh, and lots of people saw, and it hurt so much that it took a minute to catch my breath and get up, at which point I was crying and had a good size audience.

[Justin]

Justin!!!

Thank you... people of the future will follow and learn from all of our ADR data.

Proud to know you , and many other ADR patients.

Todd

Hey Todd! It is great to see your face around these parts. I'm proud to know you as well my friend--you have come a long way and I know you will get your cervical issues sorted out soon enough. Hopefully, people won't look back many years from now and say, "Can you believe we actually used to put artificial disc replacement devices in Spine Patients?" Technology for the spine is going to continually be refined where biologics, including gene therapy and stem cells, will become common place. Our artificial disc replacement devices will be similar to the first knee replacements in terms of being an archaic treatment and even more of a barbaric procedure.