Info on C5-6 ACDF with BMP - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

myspine · 03-18-2005, 11:05 PM

Hi guys

I have been scheduled for a ACDF with BMP and hardware, I have had the lumbar done already. i was wondering what to expect ... for real. My doc said it was pretty easy and some people barely miss work, but I know better than that

It is at the C5-6 level.
Thanks for any input.

shelley

jaymz · 03-19-2005, 02:18 PM

hi , i had an acdf goin on 4 weeks ago, as of now, i wish to God i did not have it, my NS sux at pain managemant , real easy operation though, the dentist is way worse! hopefully i get better as time goes on , good luck to ya ,dont sweat the surgery, its a piece of cake, i made em numb my arm b4 jammin that huge IV in me and i never felt it, then i told her i was scared ******** so she gave me the max dose of valium she could and i was wasted lol peace! jaymz

Nikki E · 03-19-2005, 04:32 PM

Hey Shelley,
I went to the ns last week and he told me he would want to use BMP on me as well. He told me to go to spineuniverse.com to read about BMP. I did and according to what I read, BMP has only been approved for the lumbar area and not the cervical. The reason he said he wanted to use it on me was because I am 32 and have osteoporosis. I am going for a second opinion in Atlanta soon and I am going to see if he mentions BMP on me as well. I do suggest you go to the site I gave you and read up on it. My ns even told me they hadn't passed it yet for the cervical spine and that scares me to death. So needless to say, I am still confused and worried even more now. The ns told me I didn't have to use BMP, it was my choice, so best of luck to you and let me know what you decide.
Nikki E.

myspine · 03-19-2005, 05:44 PM

Hi Nikki

I did have the BMP used for my lumbar fusion and it was GREAT! I fuse very fast. using my own bone from my hip is kind of scary because I have ALOT of nerve damage from not having a fusion done in the first place (not the same doctor) so now I am having a SCS implant trial for the hip and leg pain I am having . BTW I am 34 so not much older than you. Anyway i do not think my doctor wants to add more problems to my hip area that I already have

.But follow up x-rays and CT on the lumbar fusion itself was showing a very quick fusion so that was good. I do not want the bone bank , that is my own personal preference.
Like I said I had a fusion last summer which makes 4 lumbar surgeries so far and waiting for my SCS trial and hopefully that will work and be the end of that.
But adding the neck issue just makes it a little more nerve racking

. He made it sound like it would not be as bad as the lumbar, but I am not quite sure about that so I am asking the experts here who have had it.

Do you have yours scheduled yet?

shelley