This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am scheduled for Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery in Germany, June 29th by Rudolph Bertagnoli (one of the best spine surgeons in the world). I've been told by Dr. Jens R. Chapman (U.W. Medicine Orthopedic Spine Surgeon), one of the best in the country, that ADR is contraindicated for MS patients for the following reason:

The increased neural membrane sensitivity present in MS patients would become increasingly hypersensitive with the introduction of artificial discs due to the irritation caused by the procedure combined with preservation of motion which would exacerbate the neural membrane hypersensitivity as opposed to a fusion, which would not.

I've been told by Dr. Andrea Fenk-Mayer, a surgeon on Dr. Bertagnoli's team at the ProSpine Clinic that this is not so.

There are no clinical studies to support the hypothesis but I know Dr. Chapman to be an expert so I'm basically caught between two experts with conflicting opinions. I was diagnosed with MS (Relapse/Remit) in 2004 and have cervical disc problems since 1995. Now it appears that surgery is in order and the standard path is a fusion. It seemed like ADR was a fantastic alternative.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Thanks, very much.

Welcome to ThisIsMS. My story is not the same as yours, but may have some similarities because the cervical spine is involved. Be very sure that your diagnosis is correct before surgeons go in.

I was diagnosed with a herniated cervical disc by doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota; a cervical laminectomy was done with the aim of removing the disc. Fortunately, this was attempted through an incision from the back rather than the newer approach from the front. Scar tissue held the disc so tightly that it could not be removed. I had the surgery for no good reason!

The symptoms attributed to a herniated disc were actually the beginning of my MS journey.

My first several MRIs showed NO lesions; doctors told me I could not have MS – they were WRONG!

ive been saying Upper Cervical Chiropractic and few listened

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=p ... 33&bih=645

does ms cause bulging/slip/herneated disc's? or does a misaligned spine cause this?