Well, one of your difficulties is that you only saw only neurosurgeons and not spine surgeons. Generally, neurosurgeons tend to think somewhat differently than spine surgeons.
Nonetheless, it has been demonstrated that your own bone works better than allograft bone. If the “cage” is really an allograft (designed as a spacer as a cage would be), then the surgeon who will use your own bone should have a better fusion rate. In either case, they both should be using pedicle screws and I would hope they would use the O Arm to insert these screws.
Again, a third microdiscectomy is something I would not consider as the reherniation rate is high and the root cannot tolerate further compression without injury.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.