[treefrog]

SURGERY DATE: May 26, 2009

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 46

SURGEON: Dr. Bertagnoli

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: St. Elisabeth in Straubing

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): Prodisc-L at L4/L5 and L5/L6 (or S1)

COST = EUR 34.550,00 (US $47,676.00)
AMOUNT BILLED:
INSURANCE ALLOWED:
OUT OF POCKET: All (so far - but I am submitting a claim to my insurance company)
TRAVEL: US $1054.80 for two tickets + US $564.00 for one upgrade to first class + EUR 1427,50 (US $2,011.26) for hotel for two people = Total US $3,630.06
EXPLANATIONS?


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: DDD intermittent from early 1990's, became chronic in 2007.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...): Several ESI's, and a facet block.

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS: Opana-ER 20 mg 2xday; oxycodone (~7.5 mg [1/2 of 15mg pill]) as needed; gabapentin 300 mg 4xday; diclofenac 75mg 2xday.

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...): facet block; discogram.

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.): Slight numbness in heels, up right calf and shin, and right knee.

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to): ~20% right leg pain, 80% back pain. Still working full time up until surgery, but with reduced duties. Very little social life.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 9 days post-op

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Dr. Bertagnoli said my anatomy (the end plates and my blood vessels crossing over my spine that had to be moved) caused the surgery to be a little more complicated than he had anticipated. But, he used AMP ceramics (bone cement), and said that everything came out beautifully. At 3 days post-op, went to ProSpine office to meet with Dr. Bertagnoli, had x-rays and asked how long till I could leave the hospital. He replied that I could leave whenever I felt ready. I left later that evening, to go back to the hotel Theresientor.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:
1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

Don't forget the detail update section below!

DATE UPDATED: 07/07/09 FUNCTIONALITY: 5 SATISFACTION: 5 [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [2 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [3 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [4 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [5 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [7 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

3 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

4 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

5 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

6 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

7 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):