My name is Tanya DeGregorio. I’m from Woodbury, Minnesota, and I am 10 months out from my MOBI-C surgery.

I- My life is very active. We have three teenage daughters that are on the go all the time. They kind of rule my schedule, but they travel a ton for volley ball. I’m very active, um, in helping take care of the teams and, and on the go with the girls all the time. Y- I can’t stand sitting still. I’m a gym rat. I grew up playing volley ball and sports. Its very much a part of my life and who I am.

In 2009, I was hit on my driver’s side. Um, pretty severe car accident. I h-had quite a bit of neck pain, um, after, but at that point, I had no idea the impact of the car accident on my neck. It was spring of 2014. I c- started a new workout program, and something in that workout was kind of the final straw, I guess, is when the actual herniation occurred. Um, I became very aware at that point that this was a whole new kind of pain.

Stefano Sinicropi: My name is Stefano Sinicropi. I’m a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. I’m currently practicing at Midwest Spine and Brain Institute in the twin cities. When we initially saw, uh, Tanya in the office, um, she was in a lot of pain. Uh, she was a typical patient that is, um, very uncomfortable during the visit. Clearly showing pain in their face. And I always try to read everyone’s facial expressions just to see is this patient really having a hard time, and she was having a hard time.

Tanya DeGregorio: The numbness. The, um, just not- I mean, barely being able to use my right arm. Taking a breath. Everything was incredibly painful. Everything felt different. The interesting part, too—speaking of my daughters—for them to see me in that kind of pain. That was very scary for them, too. I mean, they’re used to seeing mom, you know, up and moving and, you know, moms just kind of push through anything. And i-it was a scary time for them, too. I mean, you know, I was getting through the days, but they could see the change in my face, in my demeanor and just the limitations, and they knew I wasn’t sleeping, so… I mean, they were, they were equally afraid, so, and it’s hard to watch them go through that as well.

It was scary. I don’t know what else to say it just very scary. Very uncertain.

Stefano Sinicropi: There’s just so many reasons to use the MOBI-C. There are patients in which I will discuss some of the studies and the dramatic decrease in adjacent segment, uh, issues versus fusion, and that is beneficial to some patients. And I think that that gives them some comfort.

The MOBI-C has made a significant difference in what, um, I’m able to offer the patients. Because, for the most part, the surgery is fairly easy to go through. The recovery is fairly gentle when compared to other surgeries, and they really can get back to a high level of, uh, quality of life.

Tanya DeGregorio: Ten months post-op, I forget that I ever had surgery. Once in a while I’ll get a glimpse of my scar, and, oh yeah, you had neck surgery. But I would- With my daily life, I would never know. I mean, there’s no pain. There’s no numbness. There’s no sleeping on the floor with a towel under my neck any more. I sleep like a baby now. It’s, it’s great. And I hadn’t had that for years.

Stefano Sinicropi: She, uh, really did wonderfully post-op. I saw her a week, uh, out, and she became very, very active, uh, within the first three or four weeks.

Tanya DeGregorio: Patients that are in the same position that I was in, I highly recommend- Um, you do your research. You, you, you know, if you have the luxury, get in front of a couple, um, surgeons that, y-you know, and, and… For me, i-it’s the MOBI-C device.

Stefano Sinicropi: If you’re a patient and you’re in a situation where you have, you know, a significant problem. And some- And a procedure has been recommended for you, make sure you ask your physician about the possibility of motion preservation surgery.

Tanya DeGregorio: It changed my life. I- It’s amazing to me. I woke up and the pain was gone. Like, I still think about that day. Like, he told me you will wake up and you will be surprised how good you feel. And I did. The pain was gone. I couldn’t believe how good I felt.

My name is Tanya DeGregorio, and this is my MOBI-C.