News: Some details on the procedure LVE will have

perrykemp · Dec 25, 2019

“Vander Esch will have his surgery in a few weeks. The Cowboys had been hoping medically treating his cervical herniation of the disk between the fifth and sixth vertebrae would reduce the swelling. The most recent examination reveals no herniation reduction.

Vander Esch will now undergo an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion procedure. This entails removing the herniated disk and using bone from the hip to fuse into the space between the two vertebrae.

Typically full recovery takes four months. This is not expected to be career threatening, and know several former Cowboys players underwent this procedure and continued their careers: Daryl Johnston, Rocket Ismail, Chad Hennings and Izell Reese to name a few.”

Read the rest here: https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/merry-shots-of-lve-worst-fears-and-gifts

texbumthelife · Dec 25, 2019

Oh, so his career isn't over and *shocker* the people playing doctor here should stick to picking scabs.

Birdgang · Dec 26, 2019

It's not as simple as it sounds or as people want it to be. There is also plenty of risks involved as well. I had same surgery and have never been back to 100% .

It did help with pain sometimes , but it's a lot easier now to make it hurt. He will lose some movement from the fusion. Personally I think it's a dumb risk him being so young. My injuries are from sports and the Marines from constant abuse . I went and got opinions from 10 of the best doctors in Philadelphia area from neurosurgeon to orthopedic docs.

Went over things like fusions to artificial disc replacement. Most docs had reservations of me getting anything but epidural injections and medicine since I was young ... i was 32 at time. I went and got disectomy anyway ... wish I didn't. I could not imagine playing football after. I have a very active career by no means as physical as football but its ain't no desk job either.

Bigdog · Dec 26, 2019

I hope he can return to playing the way he was last year but if this injury jeopardize his health then I think he should just call it a career. The spine is not something to fool around with and it’s just not worth it.

Zman5 · Dec 26, 2019

Birdgang said:
It's not as simple as it sounds or as people want it to be. There is also plenty of risks involved as well. I had same surgery and have never been back to 100% .

It did help with pain sometimes , but it's a lot easier now to make it hurt. He will lose some movement from the fusion. Personally I think it's a dumb risk him being so young. My injuries are from sports and the Marines from constant abuse . I went and got opinions from 10 of the best doctors in Philadelphia area from neurosurgeon to orthopedic docs.

Went over things like fusions to artificial disc replacement. Most docs had reservations of me getting anything but epidural injections and medicine since I was young ... i was 32 at time. I went and got disectomy anyway ... wish I didn't. I could not imagine playing football after. I have a very active career by no means as physical as football but its ain't no desk job either.

Yeh but you didn't have Dr. Jerrah to consult with. He would have gotten you right and 100%.

big dog cowboy · Dec 26, 2019

I want this player back next season healthy. Sounds like he will be.

Wood · Dec 26, 2019

perrykemp said:
“Vander Esch will have his surgery in a few weeks. The Cowboys had been hoping medically treating his cervical herniation of the disk between the fifth and sixth vertebrae would reduce the swelling. The most recent examination reveals no herniation reduction.

Vander Esch will now undergo an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion procedure. This entails removing the herniated disk and using bone from the hip to fuse into the space between the two vertebrae.

Typically full recovery takes four months. This is not expected to be career threatening, and know several former Cowboys players underwent this procedure and continued their careers: Daryl Johnston, Rocket Ismail, Chad Hennings and Izell Reese to name a few.”

Read the rest here: https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/merry-shots-of-lve-worst-fears-and-gifts

Yikes. You don't wanna hear about spinal fusion with LB who absorbs more contact that any other player except RB. Wish his recovery well.

Chocolate Lab · Dec 26, 2019

"Minimally invasive" the ticker on NFLN has been saying? How can the team even claim this? A discectomy and fusion are about as far from minimally invasive as you can get.

glimmerman · Dec 26, 2019

Wow. That’s a big surgery. I didn’t know he was having fusion done. He will be ok. But worse than I thought.

LACowboysFan1 · Dec 26, 2019

He may play again, but we're not going to see him play out a full career, the discs are there for a reason - to cushion the movement of the vertebrae, now it's not going to move, and will place more stress on the other vertebrae.

I suspect he's got two more years, then will have to retire.

Sad...

khiladi · Dec 26, 2019

texbumthelife said:
Oh, so his career isn't over and *shocker* the people playing doctor here should stick to picking scabs.

None of them had stenosis though, did they nor did they have continual neck related issues as a result of it? Johnston’s surgery came in 97 and he retired two years later. They are completely removing a vertebrae and using bone from the hip and during vertebrae. Peyton Manning lost all arm strength in about a year.

I wouldn’t trust TEAM doctors, whose interests are the team. LVE better get independent doctors to provide recommendations. If this is what the team doctors actually believe, no wonder the organization is a cluster F.

And people blame Zeke for wanting his money, NOW...

glimmerman · Dec 26, 2019

khiladi said:
None of them had stenosis though, did they nor did they have continual neck related issues as a result of it? Johnston’s surgery came in 97 and he retired two years later. They are completely removing a vertebrae and using bone from the hip and during vertebrae. Peyton Manning lost all arm strength in about a year.

I wouldn’t trust TEAM doctors, whose interests are the team. LVE better get independent doctors to provide recommendations. If this is what the team doctors actually believe, no wonder the organization is a cluster F.

And people blame Zeke for wanting his money, NOW...

He is gonna play again but his career could be cut short. I didn’t realize they were fusing it. I thought they were just trimming bone away from the nerve. Fusion is more serious. I wish they would try artificial disc.

ShortRound · Dec 26, 2019

That doesn’t sound minimally invasive at all

perrykemp · Dec 26, 2019

Cutting into the hip and inserting the bone into the neck is “minimally invasive”?

sunalsorises · Dec 26, 2019

That sounds bad, actually. He is going to need his body for more than football and for a lot longer than he plays football. I hope he is factoring that in, although at his age, I doubt he is.

StevenOtero · Dec 26, 2019

perrykemp said:
“Vander Esch will have his surgery in a few weeks. The Cowboys had been hoping medically treating his cervical herniation of the disk between the fifth and sixth vertebrae would reduce the swelling. The most recent examination reveals no herniation reduction.

Vander Esch will now undergo an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion procedure. This entails removing the herniated disk and using bone from the hip to fuse into the space between the two vertebrae.

Typically full recovery takes four months. This is not expected to be career threatening, and know several former Cowboys players underwent this procedure and continued their careers: Daryl Johnston, Rocket Ismail, Chad Hennings and Izell Reese to name a few.”

Read the rest here: https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/merry-shots-of-lve-worst-fears-and-gifts

Author of the article: Mickey Spagnola

lol, no wonder this reads like company line spin.

cowboy_ron · Dec 26, 2019

perrykemp said:
“Vander Esch will have his surgery in a few weeks. The Cowboys had been hoping medically treating his cervical herniation of the disk between the fifth and sixth vertebrae would reduce the swelling. The most recent examination reveals no herniation reduction.

Vander Esch will now undergo an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion procedure. This entails removing the herniated disk and using bone from the hip to fuse into the space between the two vertebrae.

Typically full recovery takes four months. This is not expected to be career threatening, and know several former Cowboys players underwent this procedure and continued their careers: Daryl Johnston, Rocket Ismail, Chad Hennings and Izell Reese to name a few.”

Read the rest here: https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/merry-shots-of-lve-worst-fears-and-gifts

Man, I almost needed to take a hydrocodone just reading that.

John813 · Dec 26, 2019

Sigh.

Risen Star · Dec 26, 2019

LACowboysFan1 said:
He may play again, but we're not going to see him play out a full career, the discs are there for a reason - to cushion the movement of the vertebrae, now it's not going to move, and will place more stress on the other vertebrae.

I suspect he's got two more years, then will have to retire.

Sad...

This is terrible news, Doctor.

Aviano90 · Dec 26, 2019

Chocolate Lab said:
"Minimally invasive" the ticker on NFLN has been saying? How can the team even claim this? A discectomy and fusion are about as far from minimally invasive as you can get.

Seems like a lot of work for a "stinger". :laugh:

News: Some details on the procedure LVE will have

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