Article on Injections

[sportsnut3007]

Bilateral post-injection fibrosis of the gluteal region mimicking lumbar disc herniation: a case report | Kose | Orthopedic Reviews. Talks about how pain can be from nodules from injections and not a herniated disc. So I say I am glad I didnt have injections when I had my small herniation.

[Justin]

Thanks SN. Interesting read.

[KanRunMo]

Two things:
1. Somewhere on this website I saw directions on how to send a CD (with MRI on it) on-line. Would you tell me where that is?
2. You said your dad was not accepted at Texas Spine Institute. Was it because he was too old or had too many problems? (Either way, it makes me a little mad at them.) I guess they want to have a "very clean record" of having good success with their back surgery. I noticed Gilber P said he was not accepted either and he has about the same problems as I do.

[Justin]

Two things:
1. Somewhere on this website I saw directions on how to send a CD (with MRI on it) on-line. Would you tell me where that is?
2. You said your dad was not accepted at Texas Spine Institute. Was it because he was too old or had too many problems? (Either way, it makes me a little mad at them.) I guess they want to have a "very clean record" of having good success with their back surgery. I noticed Gilber P said he was not accepted either and he has about the same problems as I do.

Sending Your Films Overseas for FREE

My Dad wasn't too old for surgery; he has severe lumbar facet hypertrophy, which is a contraindication to artificial disc replacement. I can assure you that the Texas Back Institute is not accepting patients based on keeping a "very clean record" -- they accept and deny patients based inclusion / exclusion critieria -- it's just "good" medicine.

[KBear]

Two things:
1. Somewhere on this website I saw directions on how to send a CD (with MRI on it) on-line. Would you tell me where that is?
2. You said your dad was not accepted at Texas Spine Institute. Was it because he was too old or had too many problems? (Either way, it makes me a little mad at them.) I guess they want to have a "very clean record" of having good success with their back surgery. I noticed Gilber P said he was not accepted either and he has about the same problems as I do.

Many times ADR is not a good idea for a patient and can be disastrous. I have read many stories on these boards about people who were not good candidates for ADR, yet found a doctor to do it. These have catastrophic results. A lot of people (myself included) go into ADR thinking if this doesn't work, I'll just have a revision and fusion. Well, it's not that easy, once you have had that ADR, and need a revision, your fusion success rate drops dramatically. It's not the same as if they had just done the fusion in the first place. Not to mention, revision is a very risky, possibly deadly surgery. There are many people who wish they would have had a doctor tell them no, or who did have a doctor tell them no, but went and found one who would do it anyway. My surgeon told me up front that if he got in there and had ANY doubts about whether I was a perfect ADR candidate, that he would fuse me. This was very reassuring to me, as much as I wanted ADR, I wanted a successful outcome more so. I think all of the great ADR surgeons do the same thing, they tell their patients in advance that if they don't feel good about ADR that they will do the fusion.... and I have heard of a few people waking up with a fusion versus the ADR. In my opinion this takes more guts and reason on the surgeons part that just doing the ADR, they know the patient is going to be bummed and such, but they do what is right, not what 'feels good'. This is also why you hear so many people recommend getting multiple surgical opinions, that way if there is a no out there, you will know it and know why, then can weigh your options. In my case, all 3 surgeons said I was a perfect candidate, which made the decision much easier.
Getting off my soapbox now.....

[JK2234]

^KBear that is so true...

[sportsnut3007]

Justin, how is your dad by the way? How did he get such a bad back, just bad genetics or he did alot of hard manual work?

[sportsnut3007]

One of the things thats "Ironic" about artificial discs is that the sooner you do it, the better chances at a better outcome. The longer you "wait" the more the facets get worn and other things go wrong. Thats why it really sucks at 28 to have back issues lol bc my facets going to get worn down and other stuff will happen sooner than for most lol. Yet, I know not to touch adr until there is massive pain and really no option to do something until they get those 3df bad boys going. Then, I probbably will punch my ticket for adr. If only I could have waited lol till 48 or so like normal discs by then it will be here lol. But hopefully by then they have stem cells maybe and at least facet resurfacing , although facet resurfacing still would require a posterior approach I think and who knows what scar tissue will be from that in the back.