opinions & results

[jrnyc]

i finally called the 2 patients of dr anand's in CA who had surgery with him...both had lower lumbar surgery....
both women i spoke to were very very kind & spoke for a long time..they both raved about the surgery & dr anand...
both are doing very well now...no pain...all recovered...both were older....one early 60's,
one early 70's...i was a little bit surprised that they didnt really know the size of their curves at time of surgery....the younger woman said she thought her lower curve was in the 30's....both say their backs look straight now..they both wore braces for some months after surgery...both say they are fully fused now...one used a bone stimulator...
both are back to full activities, and were able to do so fairly quickly!

i do know that when i met with dr anand, he said a large curve was still appropriate for his method of surgery....

soooo...it appears that dr anand accepts blue cross/blue shield/anthem..and medicare....i dont even know if i can get blue cross during the change period that comes up in the fall...i also want to see if any doctors in nyc or elsewhere on east coast start using the procedure...but i know it sounds nice not to cut thru muscle...and not to have a whole lotta blood loss...and not to have a whole
lotta pain!

we will see what happens on the east coast...i do believe that in the future, all methods of surgery will improve...it has happened in heart surgery...it will happen in other kinds of surgery...we shall see what develops with scoli surgery...


jess

[Pooka1]

Excellent report!

That is a good contribution to the group, Jess.

It really sounds hopeful.

[txmarinemom]

Jess,

Surgical techniques definitely advance and improve over time: I'm glad I didn't elect surgery even 10 years earlier (although plenty of people who did are doing fine). We all like to take comfort in current technology, I think.

I hope you know I'm supportive of your quest, but I *am* a little concerned (the word you used was "surprised") that the women don't know their pre-op measurements. Do people really go in *that* blind in this day and age?

That fact, as small as it may be, raises a little red flag (in my little, suspicious head) about the correlation of their experiences to what yours might be. You really have to be sure you're comparing apples to apples, you know?

Also, how long ago were they fused (to know they are truly "fully fused")?

Not meaning to rain on your parade ... promise. I just want to see you get the most effective treatment on the first pass.

Regards,
Pam

[jrnyc]

Thanks for the concern...Sharon & Pam...it is truly appreciated!

both of the patients i spoke to are 2 years out and fused......the 2nd one, the one who is 61 & said she used a bone stimulator, was told that she is totally fused...she needed another surgery cause a screw came loose...she said she is thin...& dr anand went in and removed the screw & cut the rods down....said she is totally fused...

i am going to see my doctor in nyc april 12th & talk to him about all this...but i know that mis-information abounds! the ladies in CA were told that if they had the traditional surgery, they would have been in the hospital for a month or two...i informed them that was not true...that they would have been out within a week, barring any complications...

but on the other side, i know that people are told that the newer method is not right for them cause their curve is too low or too large...and according to dr anand, that is not the case at all...he states that there are no curves too low or large for the method...soooo..i think there are opinions on both sides of this coin that are inaccurate...

we will see what time brings...

thanks again for the concerns for me...& your kindnesses! it truly means alot!!

jess

[CHRIS WBS]

the ladies in CA were told that if they had the traditional surgery, they would have been in the hospital for a month or two...

Who told them that? Dr. Anand? If so, I would steer clear from this surgeon.

[jrnyc]

That is why i titled the thread "opinions & results"....cause i think there is mis-information on both sides...what about telling people the newer method wont work for low or large curves, when that is not true...?

i dont like any mis-leading or mis-information on anybody's part...

i am not in dr anand's corner...but i believe fair on one side is fair on all sides....

jess

[JenniferG]

Hi Jess. It's all very interesting. It's a shame there's so much misinformation surrounding this surgery because it makes one suspicious. But one thing's for sure, this surgery that many of us have had in recent years will eventually be obsolete and I hope it does, because obviously it's going to become less complicated, less painful etc. for future patients.

I now look forward to hearing how your appt. on April 12 goes.

[rich1752]

Hey Jess,

Sounds good, no cutting through muscle!! I'm using a bone stimulator as we speak and can't tell if these thing even works, or is just a way to bill my insurance extra money. I went to L5 instead of S1 and I can't wait for new technology which will just zap you with a lazer and straighten out your spine in five minutes out patient surgery.

rich

[jrnyc]

Hey Jen.........thanks for the reply...the 2nd woman i spoke to, the one who is 61, also had degenerative disc disease, as do i....anyway, she seemed a little more knowledgeable about her curves than the first one i spoke to, who was 72 years old...

Rich...great idea! laser zapping...that would be terrific! i wish we could see far into the future...in 50 years or 75.......how advanced all surgeries will become....for now, i am just going to see what my nyc surgeon has to say when i see him april 12th...

jess

[Tall Paul]

Hi Jess,

Thanks for contacting these patients. Here is recent article regarding Dr. Anand. http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_ch...id=CHAN-100014

[jrnyc]

Hi Paul
thanks so much for that link...i was given several articles plus one study to read about dr anand's work by his staff...but no mention of that orthopedics site...so thank you...it is really interesting & full of information...i hope others take a look as well!

best of luck in your decision...
jess

[txmarinemom]

"...the reported complication rates of adult scoliosis surgery is anywhere from 50 to 70 percent."

I don't think that's accurate. Would love to know where he got that "data", and what constitutes a "complication". A 20% variance seems a bit broad to be based on fact.

I'm all for lesser invasive techniques (providing they're effective), but personally, I'm turned off by the use of what feels a lot like a scare tactic.

Pam

[jrnyc]

Hi Pam
yes, i dont know where those figures came from, either...
i think there is so much mis-information on all sides...that is why i titled the thread "opinions and results"...cause people on both sides of the less invasive aisle are hearing things that are not quite accurate...that is, if you listen to both kinds of scoli surgeons...

this must have been written a few years ago, as far as the total number of patients...he told me in january of this year that he has had 92 patients in a little over 4 years...also, the patient i spoke to, age 61, told me that she had another surgery to remove a screw & cut rods, and was fine after that...it was needed due to screw coming out...but she recovered from that "lesser surgery" (her words) well...that patient wasnt mentioned in this interview...

i am interested in all new surgeries...i lost someone very close in 1983...and i know how much that surgery (cancer) has progressed since then...i feel bad that all patients cant benefit from new advances in all the surgical areas!

jess

[gmw]

I noted the 50-70% rate of complication in older patients too. I surely hope that's not the case! I'll never get up the nerve to have the surgery if it is.

[hdugger]

That has to include some pretty minor complications. The risk of a *serious* complication is very, very low.