Anyone had a cervical fusion? Artificial Disc?

[Propane]

Surgery is looking more and more likely in my future. I hope to hear real people tell how it has honestly helped or made things worse in the short and long term. I am looking at a C5-6 single level fusion or I have just started looking into the artificial disc replacement as an option. From my viewpoint I would prefer the artificial disc over the fusion but my ears are open.

 

[Starfox]

I had the artificial put in In let l3-l4 and it has been pretty good, my father had his fused( Familly curse ) and he has had the same luck, we are both huge skiers and we have no problems. Although his took longer to heal and it still a bit stiff there, for good reason. Best of luck, try acupuncture, physical therapy and (don't laugh) yoga first before you go for the knife.

 

[redrokin00XJ]

Surgery is looking more and more likely in my future. I hope to hear real people tell how it has honestly helped or made things worse in the short and long term. I am looking at a C5-6 single level fusion or I have just started looking into the artificial disc replacement as an option. From my viewpoint I would prefer the artificial disc over the fusion but my ears are open.

I was in your shoes this time last year, I had the same disc fused.... With that said, I searched high an low for good outcomes. All I found was 50% 50% Some loved it, some hated it. I think a lot of it lies in the Dr and how well of a Dr he or she is. I should have spent more time looking for a good Dr. Luckily I did find one that was great at what he did. My wife and I went home to talk about it an try to get my mind right, everything he said just kept going around in my head... I talked to my wife for about 2hrs after the Dr's visit I called them and scheduled my surgery. That's when it finally sank in....

I was dead set against the fusion and wanted the artificial.... After an hour of speaking with my Dr I left there feeling confidant in what choice I made. With that said, this is how he explained it to me. He said... The way I do the surgery is completely different than 90% of other ortho Dr's out there.

How he did my surgery was through the front of my stomach and not through the back, my recovery time was less than 3 months. Just like what you'd expect from the artificial disc. (The length of down time was important to me) By going through the front I would recover much faster and heal correctly. By doing it by the front it wouldn't compromise the structural integrity of my back muscles. I was in the hospital for 3 days, by the 2nd day I was up and walking... Granted it wasn't far, but I was walking. I am almost year out and I feel great and I am very happy with the decision that I made.... I had the titanium cage placed and the hardware. The best part of all is that I feel like I am now getting my life back and I am enjoying every minute of it. I am off of pain meds other then Tramidol. That's used for minor ache's and pains.

But remember.... When looking back at it all, you need to ask yourself. Can you live the rest of your life like this and if no?... Then do it. That's how I decided.... Another was the faith I had with my Dr. He is un-traditional on how he did it and I am very pleased. I went in for my 2 month check up, he made the comment that if I had gone with the surgery through the back I'd still be bed ridden.

Good luck my friend.... I know how difficult it is and how hard it is for the entire family. My wife is awesome and she was there every minute I needed help. The hardest thing for was, sitting and taking it easy. I was always pushing the limits of my surgery. She would put my ass in check and keep me down for the 1st month. "thumbsup"


How this helps you in anyway.

Jason


EDIT: Forgot to mention.... I did exhaust all means before I decided to do this.... Like Starfox stated above.

 

[Scocrawler]

I have had a c6-c7 fusion done several years ago and now that I am able to look above my head without my right arm throbbing, burning, aching etc, it was well worth the few weeks on a neck brace I had to endure. I had to have a cadaver bone installed with plates with screws. The artificial disc was a brand new procedure back then and my insurance was not willing to cover it for since I was a smoker. But non the less I am happy. I do have a little less range of motion in my neck but really I only notice it when I turn back while backing up in the car or looking back at traffic on the bike. My voice did change a little bit also, likely from them doing mine from the front of my neck. My wife did say that there was a few minutes while I was on the operating table that I stopped breathing. Likely a case of too much anesthetic. Really that part is surreal to me. All I know is I had to stay in ICU for a day because of it. My case shows both the benefits and the risks involved. No regrets at all.

 

[Cheatin]

Not cervical, but I had my L5 S1 fused on 4/20/01 at age 30, degenerated disc...bone to bone on the nerve, lightning shooting down my leg 24/7. Surgery was the only option, disc replaced by donor bone, 4 titanium anchors into the spine tied together with two rods. 3 days in the hospital, walking around by day 2. I was always a limber person, always stretched and in pretty good shape when it was done. I was back to riding 50 miles a day on my road bike within 5 months. Do your physical therapy religiously as prescribed when it's time to get to it. Don't pack on a bunch of weight doing nothing expecting a miracle, those are the whatever percentage that say surgery made it worse. Eat healthy and don't do anything your doctor says not to do until he says so. Like don't lift that gallon of milk until it's time to lift that gallon of milk, have someone else do it. All those years in school weren't just for that plaque on the wall. Your body is an amazing machine and will heal up quickly and adapt to what's been removed and added to it.

FFWD to today, I no longer cycle, have a desk job, seldom stretch but still live mostly pain free unless I lift something the wrong way and piss it off. For me stretching and keeping the muscles around that area happy was the key to success, and something I need to get back to doing religiously. Good luck with it and I wish you a smooth road to recovery.

BTW, make sure you have a couple different IV pain killers approved before surgery. I woke up and morphine didn't work on me, and took an hour or so before they located the doctor to ok demerol. I didn't know what pain really was until they had cut off the vertical plates, removed the disc and prepped the area and drilled into my spine during the surgery process...muther fukker I saw the promised land...

 

[benzoel]

I had my surgery on October 1st 2012, I was nearly paralyzed for 2 weeks before hand when I went into hospital they said I needed emergency surgery my disc in between c5/c6 was so badly herniated I was damaging my spinal cord, I was numb from the neck down. The doctor explained the surgery through the front and pull the bad disc out put new one in and titanium plate. I of course agreed to it. They put me under when I woke up from surgery I actually felt better than I had in 10 years. I actually was able to touch my toes and walk by myself 2 hours after I was amazed. They told me nothing over 10 pounds for 4 months im definitely still recovering. I actually stopped taking my pain meds a week after the surgery im almost completely pain free now especially when I do all my stretches like the physical therapist showed me. Im only numb in my left arm now and only my right arm occasionally when I over do it. I don't know much about disc fusion other then my old neighbor had it done along time ago and it still hurts him .



LIke he said ^^^^^^ Dont over do it