Steve55 Cervical Prodisc -Nova C4/5,5/6,6/7

[steve55]

SURGERY DATE: 2/26/09

AGE AT SURGERY DATE:41

SURGEON: The great "Dr Bertagnoli"

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC:Bogen Germany

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s):Prodisc -Nova c4/5,5/6,6/7

COST = $41,000 USD ($32,400 Euros)
AMOUNT BILLED:$41,000 USD ($32,400 Euros)
INSURANCE ALLOWED:Pending appeal at this time
OUT OF POCKET:
TRAVEL:FREE - 1st class using miles
EXPLANATIONS?


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...onset 2000, no injury, just natural occuring DDD

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...) 2 Epidural injections and a Plasma Decompression surgery, all were temporarily helpful but didnt last.

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS:Ultracet & Alleve

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...) Discogram

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.)Deep dull penetrating pain on a level 7 out of 10. Occasional tingling on pinky side of hands, some below the waste symptoms such as tenderness in urinary tract and pinching sensation in rectum(pretty strange eh?LOL), and automatic uncontrolled contractions in my groin area.(all this weird crap finally gone after surgery -thank god)

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):See PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES above

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE:3 weeks

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Pretty much what I expected.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY: - 6
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:-5
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: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [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?]):

[treefrog]

Glad to see you started a surgery thread. I look forward to reading about your recovery and hope it goes well.

Something you wrote about your symptoms, resonates with me.

For several years I have been having slight tingling on the pinky side of my right hand. It actually starts at my elbow. When I went to an orthopaedic doc (when it first started), he said it was a nerve in my elbow that he thought was compressed. He gave me a course of steroids and a brace-type thing to wear at night to keep from bending my elbow (which I wore for a couple of months). He also told me to stop leaning my arm on armrests in my car or in chairs. But I think the hardest part for me, to keep this sort of action from happening, is using the mouse at my computer since that is the hand I use. So, the weakness I had went away, and the numbness got better, but has never totally gone. The doc also told me that if it got to the point of bothering me too much or getting worse, surgery to release (move) the nerve was the next course of action (that was 4-5 years ago).

But, now I am starting to wonder if any cervical discs are actually to blame. Like you, my lumbar pain came on not caused by any trauma or incident, but plain old degenerative disc disease changes. So, it wouldn't surprise me if other discs were also degenerating, though I've never had the cervical area investigated.

[steve55]

Per dr b, my 3 mo x rays show a failed disc at c6/7. Old pre op pains are still gone but I now have new pains on the left side of my back, neck, and shoulder due to this failed/sinking disc. Dr b reccomends extracting the disc and fusing. I think the top ADR looks similarly crooked but dr b team says it is fine. I'll be getting my first 2nd opinion on the condition of my discs come Friday when I see dr Peloza.