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How far would you travel for surgery?

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  • How far would you travel for surgery?

    I live in central PA and using the NSF website can find no spinal specialists near me. The closest that comes up is PGH and Philly which are both about 3-4 hours away from me.

    There are surgeons about 1 hour from me at Geisinger Medical Center that do the spinal fusions but none that apparently are the spinal specialists or scoliosis specialists that are recommended in this forum - or if they are they are not listed by the National Scoliosis Foundation.

    I've read here that it is hell on the ride home after surgery, plus I have 2 small children so being that far away for a week or so wouldn't work too good nor would having to pay for my husband to stay somewhere and find someone to basically move in with my kids and dog until we would get back.

    How can I find out just how many surgeries a particular surgeon has done on scoliosis and maybe what the outcomes are...it's not like the hospital is just going to hand me a list on names, plus the doctor could easily lie and say he was great when if fact he's not.

    Just wanted some opinions from you all who have been through surgery. I know it's not to be taken lightly and I realize you have to completely trust your surgeon but I'm wondering if I should drive the extra distance or how I can find more info on the local doctors. I image going far from home would also present a problem with pre-admission testing, donating blood, etc.

    Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.
    43 y.o. married w/a 12 and 14 y.o
    62 degree curve T7 - L2 that is now being measured at 54 degrees?????
    Never had surgery/Thinking about it and gathering all the info I can!

  • #2
    travelling???

    What might work is having the surgery by the best scoliosis surgeon you could find at a distance and then recovering at a rehab hospital close to home for a few weeks so the kids can visit extensively and hubby is off loaded. By the time you come home you are well enough to take better care of yourself. I also had the visiting nurse for awhile when i cam home and hired a lady from the local church for awhile.
    Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
    Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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    • #3
      Karen, Thank you for the ideas. I saw in an earlier post of yours that you recommend rehab hospitals.
      43 y.o. married w/a 12 and 14 y.o
      62 degree curve T7 - L2 that is now being measured at 54 degrees?????
      Never had surgery/Thinking about it and gathering all the info I can!

      Comment


      • #4
        I too live in Central PA and my daughter and I run a Scoliosis Support Group (for all ages) that meets at the Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA. Feel free to contact me at Spinesupport05@aol.com for more information. A member of our group recently had surgery done in Allentown, by Dr. Jeffrey McConnell. Here's his contact info.: Pennsylvania Spine & Scoliosis Institute; 1243 South Cedar Crest Blvd. Allentown,PA , 610-433-6045. I don't know much about him or his associates, but it might be closer than 4 or 5 hours away for you.

        Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way.

        Mary Lou
        Mom to Jamie age 21-diagnosed at age 12-spinal fusion 12/7/2004-fused from T3-L2; and Tracy age 19, mild Scoliosis-diagnosed at age 18.

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        • #5
          Lostfan,
          I will be traveling to NYC for my surgery( about 2 hrs at rush hour). I have to say I probably would have gone even further to find a great surgeon if I needed to.
          I agree with Karen on the rehab which is way better for the kids to visit you in.
          My husband & I will stay over in the city since I need to be in at 6am.. too bad he can't treat me to a nice dinner out, thk I can only eat soup at the most that evening....Ly

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          • #6
            I would have travelled any distance to have the best surgeon available to me.
            Luckily, mine was about 2 hours away. Less in good traffic days.
            36 year old single mom of teens ages 14 & 15.
            Anterior/posterior spinal fusion on February 9th & 16th 2006 with Dr. Anthony Moreno who now has his own practice.
            Fused from T-3 to S-1 (sacrum)
            Curve pre-op = 70 degrees
            Curve post op = 20 degrees
            No pain anymore!!
            Google is your friend

            I am not a doctor and will never give medical advice. I will support and answer questions from personal experience only.

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            • #7
              I would be willing to travel as far as necessary to get the best surgeon.

              Kindest Regards,
              Gail

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              • #8
                I was going to mention Hershey Medical Center too. I saw Dr. Weiner there. Also, Lancaster has a few spine specialists. Dr. Porter at the Lancaster Orthopedic Group works mainly with those with scoliosis.
                Chemist, 30

                1998- 18 degrees
                2003- 33 degrees
                2005- 37 degrees
                2006- 44 degrees
                May 2007- 47 degrees
                December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

                Surgery May 27, 2008
                Fused T1 to L2
                Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

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                • #9
                  Hi lostfan,

                  I had my surgery 3 hours from my home. I have no bad memories of my ride home. The right combination of medications did the job for me.

                  Shari

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                  • #10
                    I'll be having mine 2 hours from home....hopefully going to a rehab 20 minutes away from home.
                    Chris
                    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
                    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
                    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
                    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

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                    • #11
                      surgery far from home

                      I travelled from the hospital in NY to the rehab hospital in NJ in a transport ambulance. I was well medicated before I left.
                      Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
                      Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

                      Comment

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