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  • Surgical Records

    Hi!
    I'm just about two and one half years post op and doing quite well- actually I'm still seeing improvement month by month, which pleasantly surprises me. My question is, how do so many of you know the details of your surgery? I asked
    many questions before, and read as much as I could, but did not know what medications I was on in the hospital,that all discs involved were removed and other details that I read about on this forum that many of you seem to have.
    Did you send for your medical records? I feel it is important to have this information for future records and plan to request copies of my chart. My doctor says he does not have all of the OR info in his office-ie how many blood
    tranfusions etc. and I would need to contact the hospital to get that info. Did most of you do that?
    Thanks so much,
    dhansen
    ant./post. fusion Jan. '06
    T3- sacrum
    dbl.curve, T47,L43

  • #2
    Each time I have an xray I ask for a disc copy for myself from the technician. After each surgery, I request a copy of the complete surgical/anesthesia/hardware reports from the hospital. I have no problem getting them, and I don't pay for anything. I don't pretend to understand every single notation in the reports - bad handwriting still rules - but the operating report does include the surgeon's "blow by blow" typed description of the procedure(s) performed. If I have any question about something in the operating reports, I take it to my surgeon for an explanation. Hope this helps.
    FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
    10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
    8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
    5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
    2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
    3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by dianeh
      Hi!
      I'm just about two and one half years post op and doing quite well- actually I'm still seeing improvement month by month, which pleasantly surprises me. My question is, how do so many of you know the details of your surgery? I asked
      many questions before, and read as much as I could, but did not know what medications I was on in the hospital,that all discs involved were removed and other details that I read about on this forum that many of you seem to have.
      Did you send for your medical records? I feel it is important to have this information for future records and plan to request copies of my chart. My doctor says he does not have all of the OR info in his office-ie how many blood
      tranfusions etc. and I would need to contact the hospital to get that info. Did most of you do that?
      Thanks so much,
      dhansen
      I got the surgical report from my doctor, anesthesiology reports from the anesthetist, and the rest of the records from the hospital. I had to request them all separately.

      --Linda
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

      Comment


      • #4
        Surgical Records

        Thanks so much! I do have my xrays but I'm going to request my hospital records. My surgery was done at Lenox Hill in NYC and they said I'd have to pay 75 cents per page. Has anyone else had to pay for their records? It probably depends on the hospital.
        Thanks again, dhansen
        ant./post. fusion Jan. '06
        T3- sacrum
        dbl.curve, T47,L43

        Comment


        • #5
          Paying for the reports could be hospital policy, but it might be because your surgery was 2.5 years ago and that might involve a little more work to pull the files from the archives. Not a good excuse, but just a thought.
          FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
          10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
          8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
          5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
          2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
          3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by dianeh
            Thanks so much! I do have my xrays but I'm going to request my hospital records. My surgery was done at Lenox Hill in NYC and they said I'd have to pay 75 cents per page. Has anyone else had to pay for their records? It probably depends on the hospital.
            Thanks again, dhansen
            It can depend on a variety of things.

            Sometimes it depends on the hospital - and sometimes even to whom you speak. I've been charged $1/pg for records at one hospital - and nothing for older records (from the *same* hospital) that had to be pulled off micro-fiche.

            Regards,
            Pam
            Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
            AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


            41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
            Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
            Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


            VIEW MY X-RAYS
            EMAIL ME

            Comment


            • #7
              Another VERY important record to get is a copy of your post-op xrays. Keep these around and whenever you get new xrays taken, request a copy. You will need them in case of an accident - so the doctors can see if there has been any change in you correction, rods, etc.
              T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
              2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
              3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
              Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

              Comment


              • #8
                Charges for Medical Records

                Emory in Atlanta charges $1.00 per page for paper records.

                I had to get copies of all my xrays on film, since the "later opinion doctors" wanted actual films instead of the CDs. Emory charges $12.00 per film, plus tax and a handling fee.

                Peachy

                Comment


                • #9
                  Surgical Records

                  Thanks so very much everyone! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Have a great weekend.
                  dianeh
                  ant./post. fusion Jan. '06
                  T3- sacrum
                  dbl.curve, T47,L43

                  Comment

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