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  • Information on Portland, Oregon surgeons?

    This is my first post to this forum. I have been a reader here for over a year and have gained valuable insight from the information provided through members. I would now like to ask if anyone has any feedback on scoliosis surgeons in the Portland, Oregon area. I have seen 3 different surgeons in this area and will need a long fusion/instrumentation within a couple of years. I am considering Dr. Loren Jenkins with Kaiser Permanente or Dr. Robert Hart at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) -- and would like to ask if anyone has experience with these doctors or recommends others in this area.

    Thank you, Evie

  • #2
    Evie,

    my response is very late as I just now came.across your post. mg situation is one of having relatively recently moved to portland. I am beginning to search for a spine surgeon myself and and wondering if I would be wise to look out of town. I'd appreciate it if you would advise me of your findings with respect to Portland surgeons....

    mark

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Mark and Evie, Gayle knows the most about Dr. Hart as he is her surgeon and she speaks very highly about him. I live just outside Portland and saw Dr. Hart initially and went down to San Fran for a second opinion since my son and wife (who are both family nurse practitioners) live there. I was fortunate to have 2 great choices in spinal surgeons in Drs. Hart and Hu. I decided to go with the better support system in SF. There is a second spinal surgeon in Portland that works with Dr. Hart, but I do not know anything about him, maybe Gayle does.

      Best of luck in figuring out the best surgeon for your spinal problem. I am doing my rehab and pain management at OHSU, so will be glad to advise you there if you want. Send me a PM is you are interested.

      Gayle is coming up to Portland soon for her 2 year visit.

      Susan
      Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

      2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
      2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
      2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
      2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
      2018: Removal L4,5 screw
      2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Mark,

        I have been a patient of Dr Hart's for about 6 years. I have nothing but the highest regard for him, and would not hesitate to send my family members or friends to him. He is an excellent surgeon, chair of the Spine department at OHSU. I have had two very extensive surgeries with him, and am now doing very well and nearly 2 years post-op.

        Dr Hart will explain all your options to you and give you his opinion. He is open to explaining why other options may not be advisable for you. After seeing him several years ago he recommended a long fusion from T8-sacrum, which I was scared to death about. I got another opinion from Dr Keenan in Tualatin who recommended a smaller, two-level anterior fusion while acknowledging that I would still need a long fusion within a 2-3 years if I had the smaller surgery with him. I called Dr Hart's coordinator, Robin (who is absolutely amazing in every way) and she had him call me the same morning to discuss my options and explain in more detail why he did not recommend the smaller surgery. He also invited me to bring my husband and/or family for another visit with him so we could all be on the same page about why he felt I needed such an extensive surgery. I was impressed with this level of communication over the phone by a top-level surgeon.

        You ask about residents and fellows…I met two of his fellows during my hospitalizations, and I met them briefly in the office, but office visits are always conducted by Dr Hart. When hospitalized, I saw the residents and fellow twice a day, and Dr Hart usually every day. One warning is you should be prepared to wait in the office, as Dr Hart will take the time necessary with each patient. I usually wait 1-1.5 hours beyond my appointment time, but I am ok with that because he always makes sure I have all my questions answered. The office is very prompt and helpful about handling needed prescriptions or paperwork (such as work releases or PT prescriptions).

        I was in OHSU for 6 days after each of my surgeries (the first one was a little over 3 years ago). I did not have a favorable impression of my care during the first hospitalization. I did have a few good nurses, but I also had two in particular that were awful. When I broke my rods 2 years ago (due to my body's failure to fuse solidly at two levels) and learned I had to have a huge revision, I broke down in tears in Dr Hart's office and told him what a bad experience I had had in the hospital. He was very concerned for me, and told me he would make sure my second hospitalization was much better. I was contacted right after that by the OHSU patient care advocate (some title similar to that) and she spent a long time with me on the phone (me sobbing through much of it) wanting me to tell her every detail about my negative experience. She was very compassionate and sincere. I got a letter from her several weeks later thanking me for being willing to share my experiences so they could improve their care. The letter went on to say that the one scary ICU nurse I had no longer worked there, and that the other one I had named would be receiving some "job coaching." When I had my revision surgery I was in a beautiful new ortho-spine wing. The rooms were large, clean and comfortable, not to mention each one is private. I had absolutely top of the line nursing care, and excellent pain control. I am a nurse myself so I have a complete picture of what excellent nursing care should be like. A totally different experience than the first time around.

        Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about Dr Hart or OHSU. You can post here or send me a private message.

        Best of luck,
        Gayle, age 50
        Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
        Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
        Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


        mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
        2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
        2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

        also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi, Gayle

          First, an apology for this delayed reply. I've been traveling for the past month and returned yesterday... one of the advantages associated with retirement.

          Thank you for your helpful response to my query. Though one always thinks of finding sophisticated surgical specialists primarily in larger cities, living in Portland (moving here three years ago) and thinking of followup requirements I'd strongly prefer to be treated locally. Your response is helping me to develop a measure of confidence in relation to Dr. Hart.

          I'll be in touch later by "PM".

          mark

          Comment


          • #6
            That sounds good, Mark. I am more than happy to further discuss my experiences with Dr Hart and/or answer any questions you may have.
            Gayle, age 50
            Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
            Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
            Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


            mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
            2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
            2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

            also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

            Comment


            • #7
              Dr. Robert Hart at Swedish Hospital in Seattle

              Update: Dr. Robert Hart is now at Swedish Hospital in Seattle.

              From the Swedish Hosp Website:
              Spine Specialists at SNI

              550 17th Avenue

              Seattle, WA 98122

              206-320-2800 PHONE

              206-320-5250 FAX

              The New Patient Referral Line is slow to return calls.

              Susan
              Last edited by susancook; 03-15-2017, 03:37 AM.
              Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

              2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
              2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
              2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
              2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
              2018: Removal L4,5 screw
              2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

              Comment

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