The power joint neck! AUT-3!
Wolfi Seidel has entered our family last year. He comes from the Austrian Alps, but still prefers to feel water under his feet rather then the frozen one from his mountains. He loves to race slalom and took part at many international master events and national events. Unfortunatelly his spinal bones at the neck started getting problems, and had to go for surgery in a very delicate place. After the operation he is back on his board.
You spend most of your freetime windsurfing, what is your main occupation? I am project manager in lighting business. we are installing led – lighting solutions in many different environments e.g. streets, tunnels, office buildings, airports. the name of the company is SWAREFLEX.
Tell us about your last world championships in 2012? You finished 9th right after the operation, right? Actually it was a great success for me just to be part of it because a couple of month before the championship I did not know if I could ever go windsurfing again in my life. 11 month prior to the event i had this ugly spine surgery/operation.
After this championship, at the end of last year you came to us to swap from one day to the other your slalom gear to freeride gear, what was the main reason? there was only one reason: after the surgery I started windsurfing to early. I should have waited one more season. my implant was not 100% ready for action and as a direct result I felt pain in my neck big time. this was a pain in the ass of course!! the doctor told me to stop racing. so I exchanged the slalom gear with the freeride gear. thanx again for supporting me on that Andrea! due to freeriding the force on my arms and neck was reduced a lot and I was happy to be able to windsurf again.
Did the problem come from windsurfing? yes it did. too many catapults and crashes @ speed surfing and freestyle. prior to slalom racing I started in speed events on my missile and prior to that I was a brainless freestyle dude. I wanted to learn all this crazy jumps but I think I was not made for it. so I had hundreds of crashs… the main reason for the surgery was a bestial catapult with a hopelessly overpowered 9,5 in front of conca. I had no chance to unhook and crashed into the boom with my lovely face J. my head bended over the limit and that was it. game over! my spinal disc was transformed into mash and hit my spinal cord and nervs. I lost 90% of my triceps force on the right hand side.
When did you get the operation? Was this the only solution? august 2011. yes the only solution L
What was the operation about? Is it true that it’s like a power joint? Will this be the final operation? the remaining parts of my spinal disc between the 6th and the 7thcervical (neck) have been removed. I got a amputation appliance (implant) instead. it looks and works like a powerjoint as you can see on the picture. I hope that this was the one and only operation. actually I don’t know because the disc next to the broken one is a bit damaged too… we will see
Nevertheless, we know that you are now looking again for slalom gear…so what is the deal? yes sir I changed to waist harness last year and found out that I can surf very relaxed with my back straightened out and my head too. as long as I don’t switch to race modus … so the deal with myself (and the doctor) is to sail 7,9 and 7,2 AC1 on a 122 patrik slalom for light to medium wind. as soon as it gets rough (peler) I sail the freestyle wave 93 and my sados.
Did you find some new solution? waist harness and switch off race modus L… for a while…
Will we then see AUT-3 again fighting with Black Team in the racing? or has the Black Team dedicated to you the title to a freeride tester of the family? i will tell you @ the end of the year. if I can get my neck in good shape and the pain stays away during sailing there might be a chance to race again in 2k14… ? who knows…
THE PRO DISC-C :
Watch the video by clicking here!
Clinical History
The ProDisc-C was developed using the same design principles as the ProDisc-L implant. The first ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement surgery was performed in Europe in 2002. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States in December 2007.
A ProDisc-C IDE clinical study evaluated the ProDisc-C Total Disc Replacement surgery compared to spinal fusion surgery*. The study demonstrated that ProDisc-C surgery is a safe and effective alternative to fusion surgery* for qualified patients. For more information about the ProDisc-C IDE Study, refer to the ProDisc-C IDE Study Brochure and talk to your doctor.
*The ProDisc-C surgery was compared to an ACDF surgery, which involves removing the diseased disc and inserting a spacer into the space through an incision in the front of the nexk. A plate and screws are attached to the bones in the front of the spine to hold the spacer in place and to help promote fusion.
Fixation The ProDisc-C implant is secured to the bones (vertebrae) in the spine with a patented central keel on the top and bottom endplates. A coating has also been applied to all the implant surfaces that contact bone to allow for the bone to grow onto the implant.
