Thanks Eddie G., for reminding us of the existence of the research channel and the excellent spine related material presented there.
The presentation on the state of the literature to date re: lumbar ADR/TDR verus fusion was sobering.
Once again: there is no free lunch.
How many of the folks who've had great results w/lumbar TDR would have done just as well w/a fusion?
My sense, and Mark has stated this over and over, is that the most important single variable is the surgeon's skill.
My gut tells me that in the case of TDR surgeon skill accounts for 75%-80% percent of the outcome given optimization of all the other variables.
That's why a Bertagnoli or the equivalent versus his obscure, for a reason, counterpart is the most important piece of the puzzle. This I believe will become increasingly less so as the medicine of the spine emerges from its infancy.
How are you progressing post TDR? I hope you have one of those great TDR outcomes and are able to have a med free, pain free life.
Happy Holidays.
Good luck.
