rediscover Patient Ambassador
For me, it was clear, even though I’m 60 and considered by some to be ‘old’ for a disc replacement, there was no question about getting a disc replacement versus a fusion.
Kerstin I.
Age: 60
From: Herdecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Surgery Date: December 14, 2022
Procedure Type: Cervical Total Disc Replacement with prodisc
Interests: Swimming, Horseback Riding, Skiing, Golf
Kerstin has had a nearly 30-year career in the medical field—as a physical therapist for more than 10 years, and for the last 20 years as an agent for medical device companies that supply spine surgeons outside the U.S. with total disc replacement devices. In this capacity, Kerstin has worked with, and for, several different providers of total disc replacement devices. This experience has allowed Kerstin to explore a variety of disc replacement options; some with short-term results and others that offered long-term success.
Throughout this time, relatedly, she suffered from short bouts of neck and shoulder pain. Her greatest frustration was an inability to raise her arms without pain, as well as limited arm rotation. Kerstin believed (and hoped) that physical therapy was all she needed to solve her problems and thought her pain was related to a minor accident she experienced years prior—or perhaps due to the long hours spent on the computer for her job. However, her husband, a spine surgeon, believed she needed surgery. Unfortunately, wanting to avoid surgery, Kerstin chose not to even have an imaging study for over a year.
As the symptoms worsened, Kerstin’s level of activity also declined. She stopped taking part in sports, such as golf, and she could not sleep at night. Ultimately, her lack of sleep had a significant impact on her quality of life, and Kerstin decided to obtain an x-ray and MRI to determine the type of degenerative issues she was facing. The imaging study showed a single level of her spine with significant degeneration, and a second level with moderate degeneration—but the cause of her pain was still somewhat unclear. As a diagnostic aid, injections were conducted and showed that her pain was coming from a compressed nerve. Though her pain decreased substantially after the injection, and her range of motion became almost entirely normal, these beneficial effects diminished over time. While her first and second injections were highly effective, but short-lived, the third injection had little effect—so she decided to move forward with surgical options.
“I specifically wanted prodisc C Vivo even though my surgeon had access to many different discs. I know the [core] of prodisc is proven with 30 years of history and clinical studies and trusted this disc for my own neck.”
Because the source of Kerstin’s pain was a compressed nerve due to disc herniation, total disc replacement surgery was determined to be the best solution. Some surgeons less familiar with the benefits of disc replacement surgery might not consider patients over 60 years-old for the procedure, but Kerstin’s long-term expertise in spine-related disease prompted her to avoid a fusion due to the lack of resulting mobility—even just for a single level of the spine. Her chief concern was that the adjacent level that had been slightly degenerated would be more likely to further degrade should she get a fusion and wanted to preserve her motion to delay any further issues in her spine.
Before Christmas in 2022, Kerstin had total disc replacement surgery with prodisc C Vivo—choosing to have the procedure at this time of the year since she had vacation time available to her around the holidays. Considering Kerstin had delayed the surgery for over a year, she thought she may need more extensive physical therapy to bring her back to full function.
“I know a surgery is always a surgery... of course something can always happen... but when I saw the X-rays I could see myself that I needed surgery. I just wish that I had gone forward with the surgery earlier.”
Due to Germany’s rules governing hospital payments associated with disc replacements, she stayed in the hospital for 3 nights—though she felt she could have probably left after the first night—and then spent the holidays recovering at home. Over the next few months, she was able to take advantage of physical therapy techniques to recover her lost muscle tone and function.
Kerstin notes that she was very cautious in the first four weeks after the surgery. She didn’t want anything to compromise the placement of the device in her neck, so she limited her activities and even wore a neck brace when she drove in case of an accident.
While her surgeon’s recommendations allowed her to ski and bike earlier in the recovery process, Kerstin chose to err on the side of caution—holding off on activities she worried could result in complications. A year out from surgery, however, she is back to fully pursuing her passions, including golf, skiing, and swimming. She has had no activity restrictions due to the total disc replacement surgery, nor has she done anything that has caused her to have any pain.
At her one-year post-surgical review, she was pleased that her spine had resumed a normal orientation, and there had not been any further degeneration of the adjacent level. When asked if she could do anything differently in her patient journey, she rapidly stated, “I wouldn’t have waited so long to have the surgery!”
These individuals can inspire your journey to healing and life after disc replacement surgery—and the hope of freedom from spine-induced pain and discomfort.
With the total disc replacement, it’s like I’ve never had a neck problem!
Andrea L.
I feel like my activity level is now a 10 out of 10! My recovery after prodisc was amazing.
Brian
Being a patient myself, I understand... the journey. [prodisc] allows my patients to return to their lives.
Dr. Masson
I probably feel better today than when I was 30 years old!
Rory
prodisc [gives] my patients the option to thrive and maintain the highest quality active lifestyle.
Dr. Lanman
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