Let me help answer a few of these from my personal exp
i had a two level fusion with peek implants at c 4/5 and 5/6 in july 2007. it did not fuse so they revised it with donor bone graft sep 2008. each time they placed titanium plate and screws over the vertabrae. one year later oct 2009 my c 3/4 had to be done with a stand alone peek cage which is just another way to fuse. now my c 6/7 is going. are you seeing the pattern here? do not let them fuse you. read about wolfs law. if you can get adr, i beg you to try anything to make that happen. i will not let them fuse me again. yes if you can pay out of pocket you may find a surgeon in the usa to do it. There are surgeons in california, texas, and florida that do it. mark that admin. for this site has a small fee to pre-opp your films and case to doctors that can help you. God bless, cheryl
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female age 45, height 5"6", 145 lbds, non smoker, conservative treatments failed, (7/2007) C4/5/6 peek disc replacements,plate & screws failed fusion,
(9/2008) revision with bone replace plate and screws, (10/2009) C3/4 stand alone peek cage, (12/2010) facet joint injections C3-7, (1/2011) rhizotomy C6/7 failed, Trouble swallowing
most recent mri (7/2011) shows ajacent level issues: right neural foraminal narrowing C2/3, posterior bulge indents thecal sac at C6/7/T1 no mass effect on cord.
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