Back Pain Support Group

ADRsupport: http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/i...

SpinePatientSociety: http://spinepatientsociety.org/for...

ADRsupport UK: http://www.adrsupportuk.com/

A helpful animated video of an ADR (artificial disc replacement):

http://www.spineuniverse.com/video...

It's 2009 and many are still having fusion spinal treatment that was being performed in the 1930s. It's truly unbelievable. Hopefully more will researching your options before surgery.

We must remember that even though the technology and success of ADR has been demonstrated for years in Europe, the technology is quite new in the USA, also not everyone is an ideal candidate for ADR, so we should never say "that is unbelievable, that people are still getting fusion's, a 1930's technique". Unfortunately for me and thousands of other's ADR was not possible and as you well know, the criteria for ADR is very specific and not everyone is a candidate.

So let's not criticize the many people that had to go with fusion as there only option. Fusion surgery even though is "old" when it comes to medical procedures, it still has it's place and use in today's society.

Thank you, Tipper. You're very right. I could fill a book with details, criteria and contraindications with regard to ADR candidacy that I didn't have time to mention in that last post, namely, advanced facet arthrosis and/or poor bone density.

There is need for the usual brevity on message boards and my niece was screaming to watch Finding Nemo for the 1000th time.
Of course ADR requires you be a candidate to receive it. And of course there is a place for fusion when other options don't apply. I apologize if anyone assumed otherwise.

it's important to be clear that FUSION IS PERMANENT. It cannot be reversed. That is the first thing anyone nearing fusion should consider.

Moving on, newer techniques are now leaving windows for future adjustment and/or full implementation of newer technolgies down the road. ADR can be reversed to fusion. It's no walk in the park! But it can be reveresed to fusion if need be which is a relief.

As for "unbelievable", Tipper. Hopefully most understand there are multiple forms of fusion (alif, tlif, plif, dyneses, hybrid fusions as well as the new Inlign™ MLH System combining fusion and ADR in one system). When I say it's shocking to learn there are people in 2009 still agreeing to fusion that was perfomed 80+ years ago, I do in fact mean there are still patients out there receiving bone on bone fusion and harvesting from the hip in cases when it's far from their best option simply because it's what their surgeon is practiced in doing. It is in fact "unbelievable" to me and most unfortunate. I do not take spine matters lightly. It is "unbelievable" to me that some are still having the most antiquated form of fusion performed. It was never my intention to imply "all" forms of fusion are inadvisable.

New training, new procedures for surgeons means enormous time and money. Surgoens care, but we are not their first priority in life. They will never make it their task to read-up on every latest surgical development much less learn it and incorporate it into their practice. They're like you and me. They want to do their job and the go play golf. It is our responsibility to ensure we're getting the very best and right procedure for each of us on an individual basis. We must be our own best self advocates.

Sorry for all the "unbelievable's" in quote's. So much gets lost in communicating this way. It's lengthy but too anyone researching or wanting to read: technology is moving exponentially. It is a snowball. There has been more tech advance in the last 10 years than in the last 100 years in total. There are patients having Nucleoplasty: replacing just the nucleus of a problem disc leaving the annulus in tact in cases the disc isn't too badly degenerated. There are patiens, including myself, who are having fibrin sealant injections that seal-up and promote healing in damaged discs preserving discs for years longer than they would on their own. This method is buying time for many patients who know about it. As well, the first human clinical trial of embryonic stem-cells for acute spinal cord injury launched this year. So much happening in just the past two years.

With time, as engineering and medicine collide we are knowing more and more options for spine patients. There are now increasing number of methods allowing patients to keep mobility in their spine and doing away with the fusion which often results in adjacent disc disease or "the domino effect" of discs above and below the fused segment going bad.

When you fuse you lose the flexion that segment used to provide resulting in other discs above and below the fusion having to work overtime. This results in premature disc degeneration, thus, why you hear about patients having to go in time and again for more surgery.

ADR allows the patient to maintain/reclaim your original disc height and keep your spinal motion, helping preserve discs above and below. Total knee and hip replacements have become very common; our spinal joints are next on the list. Read up and find whats best for you.