ProDisk or M6?

**JPJH** · 03-15-2011, 11:37 PM

Jim,

My spine Dr. is at UCSF and they have great surgeons there. My surgeon there supported me going out of the country for my surgery because my insurance would not approve my 2 level ADR and my only option was fusion. I did plenty of research and ended up going to Dr. Clavel in Barcelona and had 2 M-6's at C 4/5 & 5/6. My surgery was in Oct. 2010. It was a good experience as far as having to have surgery goes. Dr. Clavel was top notch as was the hospital he uses. Barcelona was also a great city and my wife and I enjoyed a great vacation there before and after my surgery. I would recommend you look into going to him or Dr. Boeree in England. I liked both of them very much and both of them have had excellent results. I also would not discount having the Pro-Disc at UCSF. I think it is a viable solution. I know where you're coming from as I have been a police officer for 28 years and did go back to work after my surgery. Not an easy decision, specially since you can get yours paid for here in the U.S. It's at least worth getting a coouple of opinions form outside the U.S. and then weigh and measure the cost and the device. All the best to you.

JPJH

**Orion** · 03-16-2011, 08:45 PM

Thanks so much!

I have sent my stuff to Dr. Boeree and Dr. Ritter-Lang. I should here back from both soon. I have not sent anything to your Dr. yet. I will look him up and send him things too. UCSF states they can get around the single level issue by claiming it is a "compassionate surgery". The thing is I have three jacked up discs and they acknowledge I will need additional surgery down the road. My Dr. at UCSF is Dr. Chou, how about your? What did the surgery cost you in the end?

Thanks so much!
Jim L.

ps-Where here in the area do you work?

**JK2234** · 03-17-2011, 11:24 AM

I hope you dont get stuck with the pro-disc like me...

Your family will understand b/c money wont matter if you got a bad neck....

**Orion** · 03-17-2011, 12:49 PM

Thanks for the support. I am scared and need to figure out how to pay for it out of the country. Your info helps me to keep moving forward.

Jim L.

**Buckeyeback** · 03-18-2011, 12:13 PM

If you pay out of pocket, you can still go to a hearing to be reembursed possibly. I'm sure that an argument can be made that you would've actually saved money for them by going overseas. The same procedure would cost much more in the USA, I am assuming and since you are approved for ADR surgery, having ADR surgery is not an issue. WC in California may be different though. Good Luck.

I believe the M6 is a superior disc also due to the center of rotation issues with the prodisc putting too much pressure on the facets. The M6 is not supposed to do that from what I understand. Anything is better than a blown, worn out disc that is pressing on nerves and displacing the facets though. Good luck.

~Buckeyeback

Originally Posted by Orion

Thanks all...

I have been approved by my workers compensation for a two level ProDisc ADR at UCSF (San Francisco). I do feel that as a firefighter this is not the right ADR for me. I am now looking at paying out of pocket for an M6 as this is what I think is best. Good for me... Bad for my family, I do not know. I only have one neck and one life. I would like to spend the last of my life like I choose to.

Let all of you know soon.
Jim Landis

**Orion** · 03-18-2011, 10:02 PM

Thanks Buckeyeback...

Today I spent the day at looking at loans to cover it. I should know the prices for Germany and the UK shortly. I still need to get the info to Spain.
I am planning/leading to an overseas trip, I just need more info. Who to see, cost ext.
Thanks for your reply! All the advise and support I can get is greatly appreciated.
It seems like I move my decisions with the waves. This drives me crazy because I am not normally like this.

Thanks much!
Jim L.

**spinches** · 03-29-2011, 07:09 PM

Jim L,
I am in the same dilemma at present. I have reviewed recent medical articles on artificial disc versus fusion at 2 levels, and feel like they are both okay, but some of the papers report significantly better patient satisfaction with artificial discs in the first 2 years after surgery. If I could get the 2 level artificial discs here at home, I would choose that option over fusion without much further inner debate. It is scary to think of going overseas to get major surgery, not only because of the cost, but because of all the cultural differences and other unknowns at a time when I am most vulnerable. I empathize with your debate over the Maverick versus discs that have been in longer use. We are at a difficult time in the development of this technology, and are to some degree serving as part of a global medical experiment. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I hope you will post whatever you want to share about your decision-making process and your surgery, if you decide to go ahead with it. Sandra

**rhatzy** · 04-03-2011, 08:08 PM

With the motgage rates so low, I just took the money out of the house. That was a little more than 3 years ago and I went to Ritter-Lang and got the maverick disc as the M6 for lumbar was not yet out. Best $40,000 I ever spent. The surgeons in Europe are first rate with a lot of them having trained in the US, including Clavel in Barcelona. Now a lot of US docs are traveling to Europe for training for the Artificial discs. Also the facilities are every bit as good as here in the US and the people are great. Don't worry about any cultural difference. It doesn't come into play, I've traveled to Europe hundreds of times as a pilot for TWA.

Just my opinion, I think the M6 is a great disc and Ritter-Lang has been putting them in necks for at least 4 years. The neck is a lot better to deal with than the lower back.

Mark