Dr. Bouchard, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

[Moon Godess]

Hi There:

I just wanted to put some information out on a Orthapaedic Surgeon here in Calgary by the name of Dr. Jaques Bouchard.

I was referred to him because of my spine pain mostly caused by my previous surgeries, severe advanced osteoarthritis and endplate spurring.

He does NOT perform scoliosis surgeries. His procedure that he was suggesting was discectomy, posterior fusion and instrumentation. He was extremely rude and abrupt with me, and totally unsympathetic about my chronic pain.

I asked him alot of questions, which just seemed to annoy and perturb him. And he answered most of them with "I don't know." That really made me feel confident! Especially when he made a smart-alec comment "You need a spine transplant."

Yeah, like you do that right?

Some really important questions you may want to ask your surgeon about any kind of revision surgery would be:

- Why are you recommending this surgery?
- What are my non-surgical options?
- What is the source of my pain and how do you know this?
- What will be the natural course of my condition if not treated by surgery?
- Would you recommend this surgery to your wife? (or daughter, etc)
- What are side effects / risks / complications?
- And how do those risks relate to me personally?
- What will you do if you get in there and see something unexpected?
- What are the long term consequences of this type of procedure?
- What should I expect after surgery? How will you manage my pain?
- Can I call you after surgery if I have any questions?
- How often will I be seeing you after surgery?
- How many X-rays will you require me to take after surgery?
- What will my limitations be after surgery, and for how long?
- When can I expect to return to work? (or school, whatever)
- Will I be able to get ahold of you for complications/emergencies?
- What expectations do you have for my recovery?
- What is your success rate, or can you provide me a percentage?

Any defensiveness on the part of the surgeon when you ask these types of questions is a red flag.

Also, please do not let any surgeon convince you that surgery is the best for degenerative spine. The most common reason surgery doesn't work is because the patient didn't require that type of surgery in the first place. And I will also add that if they cannot suggest any non-surgical treatment or option, then you need to run fast.

Hope this helps, and be well.

[banta]

looks like you've been through a lot!

[Moon Godess]

Yes, been through quite a bit since my pain worsened in 2001. But probably not any different from anyone else on this forum. It is just a matter of finding the right meds and the professionals who understand the long term effects that scoliosis surgery produces.......

[Pooka1]

Also, please do not let any surgeon convince you that surgery is the best for degenerative spine. The most common reason surgery doesn't work is because the patient didn't require that type of surgery in the first place. And I will also add that if they cannot suggest any non-surgical treatment or option, then you need to run fast.

Okay this makes sense in light of an anecdote I heard a while back. I heard that a majority of people who are operated on specifically for back pain (not scoliosis-related) have more pain after the procedure. I got the distinct impression surgery is not the best answer most of the time for a pain and that surgeons who take pain patients (without scoli I guess) need to be VERY up on other treatment modalities and use them frequently, maybe more frequently than surgery.

I don't know what the state of the art is now but your comment about the most common reason that surgery doesn't work makes sense.

The "spine transplant" comment was off the hook! Geez.

Good luck.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Karen...

I don't know if you're still looking for help, but Dr. Ganesh Swamy did a fellowship at UCSF, which is really solid training.

http://www.caleohealth.ca/AboutUs/Su...4/Default.aspx

Regards,
Linda

[Moon Godess]

Hi Linda:

Thank you for the information.

I know that Dr. Bouchard has extensive training, but his procedure is totally irreversable. Never mind the fact that he would recieve about $10,000 from the province to do the surgery. And I cannot trust a surgeon who will not or can not tell me what my chances are of relieving my pain issues. And yes, the "spine transplant" comment was really off the wall....LOL

I prefer to undergo surgery only if it becomes an emergency.

Right now, I am working with a really good chiropractor who has viewed my xrays and understand that I don't have any movement in the lumbar area. It feels really good to have him manipulate the discs that do move, and so far those discs do not show any signs of degeneration.

I am also working with the pain management clinic here in Calgary, and I have started gabapentin. At least now the medication has relieved the God-awful jolts of pain through my right hip, pelvis and leg that ended at the knee. I follow up with him on July 10th, 2009.

I have also found a new doctor that doesn't throw a bunch of narcotic pain medication at me and considers me "cured." On the contrary, we are slowly weaning me off the narcotic type pain killers, but I still use Tylenol #3 for breakthrough pain. She is also suggesting a bit of muscle therapy.

And on July 2, 2009 I will be visiting an Osteopath. She wants to see how my body works "mechanically" so that maybe we can adjust my exercise or stretching regieme to relieve some of my pain and discomfort.

I guess that is all I can do for now, and I'll let ya all know how that goes.

Cheers.

[Moon Godess]

Oh I would also like to add that I have taken myself away from corti-steroid injections. The pain of having a doctor poke my bone spurs with a long needle to try and find the right injection area was too much for me.....