Hi Tom,

Here’s my experience before and after with a 1 level ADR at L5/S1 performed back in 2006.

During September of 2003 (31 years old) I was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident where I ended up rupturing my disk at L5/S1. By Spring of 2005, I had complete collapse of the disk space since the disk no longer existed.

My goals were simple, be narcotic free and get as much exercise as I could. Adrenaline is one of the best pain killers, but when you literally lose all feeling in a leg temporarily, there isn’t much you can do until your feeling starts creeping back.

I won’t get into details about all of the pain I was in, but I can empathize with anyone with severe back pain, I truly get it.

In April of 2006 I had my ADR performed at St. Mary’s hospital in Duluth by a neurosurgeon by the name of James Callahan.

Fast forward to today... the last time I had serious back pain (other than normal wear and tear soreness for a highly active 47 year old) was when I was laying on the table getting ready to receive anesthesia.

ADR has been a life altering experience for me in such a positive way...but I do baby my spine and body in general for aftercare. No high impact sports, skiing, running, etc. but I’m extremely active in the outdoors and I have complete range of motion like I had prior to my auto accident.

One word of advice, see the best surgeon you can and it will be a neurosurgeon.

If someone is good enough to work on a 6 month baby with a traumatic head injury where precision and smarts/experience are paramount, they’re good enough to work on you.

You want the very best hands and head on a surgeon touching you so choose wisely, it makes a difference.