I received my December 2004 issue of Popular Science and it has an article about the Charite Artificial disc. It is a medical implant to replace a spinal disc and is an option to the spinal fusion surgery. Since back problems run in my family and I've already been diagnosed with some spinal and disc problems, I'm happy to see advances in this area. It's been in use for many years in Europe, but just received FDA approval here in October 2004.
I have a charite adr and i endured months of great pain until i had a fusion around it.so don't make Frivalous coments until youve walked in our shoes only to find out later that things were left out of trial reports to get it approved!!!!!!!!!!!!thank you very much.
I too have the Charite ADR and had trememdous pain until fusion to salvage the DISC joint. I urge anyone thinking about an ADR to do your research. They cannot be removed if they fail, it is a life threating operation. I doubt if this post stays it seems most web pages like this have connections to the medical device makers and any negetive post disappears!!! It is all about the money.Even with the fusion to salvage my spine I am still in bad shape at 40 my active life is over. Learn from my mistakes please!!!!
Jim, I have no connections to the maker of the Charite disc or any other medical device maker. I am simply a person with a bad back who is hoping that technology will find a "cure" for back problems before I am the one sitting in the surgeons office. My father had to have back surgery and I already have pain in the back, hips, legs and knees. I have stress fractures in my lower back today.
I hope others with the disc will feel free to leave their HONEST opinions here. It gives others, like myself, information from real people who have experienced it first hand.