News: Some details on the procedure LVE will have

cheftjpeck

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“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

so in essence you lose 15% range of motion for every vertebrae section that is fused . Not a career ender if he heals well, and proceeds but I would caution considering his position is built upon going fast and slamming into an object moving towards you ... but again an athlete vs an everyday joe is different .. wish him nothing but the best .. I refused to get fusion yet and treat mine with shots etc until I have no choice .. but again everyday joe vs athlete
 

khiladi

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I also read that the rumors about Vander Esch having neck problems in college could not be traced to anything specific and were probably the result of "gossip" after he started wearing a neck collar in college. He chose to wear the neck collar because of a stinger injury and not because he was told he had spinal stenosis. In any case, thanks for posting the article. As it states, we have reason to be optimistic he will be okay.

No problem.. I’m not optimistic though and I actually think he should retire for his long term health. But it’s his decision.
 

TwistedL0g1k

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exactly, well said. Do you also get the numbness and tingling, weakness..spasms? I sure do. Its one of my biggest regrets..looking back at the surgery. I wish I hadn't have done it. It changed my entire life. At the time, I really felt I didn't have much choice.

I think I had better luck than you did. I'm probably 90% after the second procedure, but have a little residual nerve pain. First time they went through the back (long recovery), and trimmed the disc. Was good for a year maybe, but it re-herniated, which I was told happens about 10% of the time. Second time they went through the front (throat), and fused it. Faster recovery. Wish I had done this the first time (hindsight).

Sorry you are continuing to have problems. Many folks do. I've heard a lot of horror stories. Damned if you do, damned if you don't....
:(
 

Rayman70

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I think I had better luck than you did. I'm probably 90% after the second procedure, but have a little residual nerve pain. First time they went through the back (long recovery), and trimmed the disc. Was good for a year maybe, but it re-herniated, which I was told happens about 10% of the time. Second time they went through the front (throat), and fused it. Faster recovery. Wish I had done this the first time (hindsight).

Sorry you are continuing to have problems. Many folks do. I've heard a lot of horror stories. Damned if you do, damned if you don't....
:(
YUP..EXACTLY. Thanks man.
 

Cowboysheelsreds053

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If you are about to get cut on nothing is simple as it sounds. Each person is different and we hope he is alright and able to play but don't be fooled because someone says it is a simple procedure. Have seen several simple surgery turn out not to be and I am going to a funeral. I was like I thought this was a simple procedure.
 

xwalker

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“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

Moose played a few more years after the surgery.

I thought they might use the new technique where they use an artificial replacement disc.

The article spelled it as disk; however, the correct spelling is disc.
 

CB61

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“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
Oh Izell I almost forgot about him LOL
 

gjkoeppen

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medical procedures of this type have a best and worst case scenario and the norm. if he were your son, do you think you'd be so lackadaisical dealing with an issue of this magnitude???

I know several players from other teams come to Dallas in the off season to have the Cowboys doctors do their surgery so if they say there's nothing to worry about then I'm good with that especially over people without medical degrees.
 

Noclaf

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He is young he should just retire, there is a chance this goes very badly
 

Noclaf

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going back and ready some of these guys that had this done, DUDE need to retire right now. Screw football, he is so young he has his life ahead why do this just to play football at this age is insane.
 

gjkoeppen

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Johnson played 1 season and week 1 of the following year.

Hennings and Ismail had to retire.

I gave you a link saying that players continued to play so now you provide a link saying what you THINK is right.
.
 

Tass

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Discectomy and fusion is a very common procedure.

My wife had this done except they used titanium on her, not hip bone.

I wonder if that means that bone is theoretically better for a neck expected to incur further impacts?
 

windward

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I gave you a link saying that players continued to play so now you provide a link saying what you THINK is right.
.
No, I’m telling you what actually happened because your link was incorrect.
 
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