Any Artificial Disc receipients?

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I have been trolling the group for quite a while. I have a history of

disc herniation at l4/l5 since 1996. A year ago this past July, I had

a major herniation occur. Since then, I have been suffering with

constant back pain and also I get a fair amount of leg pain when

walking. I have had multiple epidural injecttions. The back pain can

wake me up at night. I can not tolerate NSAIDs or oral steroids

(stomach issues), so that puts me at a disadvantage. May main problem

is that the pain limits what I can do (I am and have always been a

very active person).I recently had a discogram which confirmed the

disc at l4/l5 is hot. It caused massive pain with only minimal

pressure being put into it. So the options I was given was fusion

(which I want to avoid) and artificial disc (prodisc-l). The surgeons

I have been seeing are Drs Rushton, Balderston, and Maurer at

Pennsylvania hospital. I am certainly leaning toward the artificial

disc, but have not totally made up my mind. The approach to the disc

replacement is through the front, so you do wind up with a major wound

and about a week hospital stay (probably not much different then

fusion). Any comments out there? Anyone have or know anyone that has

the prodisc?

Thanks,

Ken