Finding the right Dr. for possible surgery

[PaulSa]

Well, at this point I have decided that I’m going to do whatever it takes to try and rid myself of these symptoms that are consuming my life and have a large impact on my family.

Looking to make a decision as to what Dr. or team of Dr.’s I would like to have look at my case and determine if I would be a candidate for surgery. At this point my two top choices would be Dr. Hibner or the Houston team. The only thing that scares me is their use of the TG approach they use. Can Dr. Ansell alter his method? Maybe Dr. Robert? Also, will these Dr.’s work with out of country patients to minimize visits?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Lernica]

Sorry I don't have any answers for you, Paul. I was wondering what your decision would be after getting your Potter MRI. Did she confirm that you are entrapped? Where?

[PaulSa]

Sorry I don't have any answers for you, Paul. I was wondering what your decision would be after getting your Potter MRI. Did she confirm that you are entrapped? Where?

I'm still doing PT with Nelly and have an appointment with Dr. Peng but if none of that pans out I don't want to have to wait another 6 months or more. Just trying to be proactive.

[nyt]

I know Dr. Hidbner will do surgery in one visit so you wouldn't have to make multiple trips but I don't know how he determines if you are a surgical candidate before you come. His office could tell you that. The waiing period to see him is very long. Might even be into 2012. I don't know anything about the Houston team.

[donstore]

Paul,
I believe consult appt. wait for Hibner is 8 -9 months with surgery 6-12 mos. after that unlesss somebody cancels. He talks to you, his PT Loretta examines you before that and he wants the 3T MRI from Dr. Potter or his radiologist Dr. Kalinkin (1.5 T). He may want diagnostic nerve blocks as well depending on the patient. I believe he sometimes likes to try botox also. He only does one PN surgery per week on Mondays. Houston is much quicker. They can evaluate you in one visit of 2 days and then another visit for surgery. Celeste and GregT are the experts on Houston. If you want to see Hibner, make a consult appt. now. There is a long locked thread where the advantages and disadvantages of severing the ST ligament are discussed at length. Houston and Dr. Robert cut the ligament and that's how they do it. I believe Hibner has started windowing the ligament depending on the patient or repairs it with a cadaver tendon. If you have to pay cash Dr. Robert is much cheaper.He taught Dr. Ansell and Dr. Hibner how to do the surgery. Dr. Hibner has added other modifications (neuro-wrap, post-surgery pain pump).

Don

[PaulSa]

Paul,
I believe consult appt. wait for Hibner is 8 -9 months with surgery 6-12 mos. after that unlesss somebody cancels. He talks to you, his PT Loretta examines you before that and he wants the 3T MRI from Dr. Potter or his radiologist Dr. Kalinkin (1.5 T). He may want diagnostic nerve blocks as well depending on the patient. I believe he sometimes likes to try botox also. He only does one PN surgery per week on Mondays. Houston is much quicker. They can evaluate you in one visit of 2 days and then another visit for surgery. Celeste and GregT are the experts on Houston. If you want to see Hibner, make a consult appt. now. There is a long locked thread where the advantages and disadvantages of severing the ST ligament are discussed at length. Houston and Dr. Robert cut the ligament and that's how they do it. I believe Hibner has started windowing the ligament depending on the patient or repairs it with a cadaver tendon. If you have to pay cash Dr. Robert is much cheaper.He taught Dr. Ansell and Dr. Hibner how to do the surgery. Dr. Hibner has added other modifications (neuro-wrap, post-surgery pain pump).

Don

Excellent info Don, thank you!

So it looks like you have made your choice looking at your sig. Good luck.

Would you happen to have the link? Can't find it via search. Thx.

[donstore]

Hi Paul,
I certainly want to see what Dr. Hibner has to say about my case. According to Dr. Potter, I have other nerves involved so I am thinking of Dr. Dellon in Baltimore despite the expense since Hibner just does Pudendal decompression. I am anxious to hear progress reports from Dr. Dellon's patients here on the forum. His associate Dr. Hashemi takes insurance and I believe GraceUnderFire said that he does neurectomy on other nerves but not Pudendal decompression. I was also told by another patient of his that Dr. Dellon does his surgeries at an outpatient center and the cost is under 25K and he does whatever he thinks you need all at once. I believe Grace said that they would operate together if more than one nerve is involved and insurance would pay for Dr. Hashemi. The thread that discusses the severing of the ST ligament is here:
http://www.pudendalhope.info/forum/view ... 9501#p9501
Be forewarned that a lot of this thread is GregT and AliPasha arguing, often in a personal way. Good Luck

Don

[PaulSa]

Hi Paul,
I certainly want to see what Dr. Hibner has to say about my case. According to Dr. Potter, I have other nerves involved so I am thinking of Dr. Dellon in Baltimore despite the expense since Hibner just does Pudendal decompression. I am anxious to hear progress reports from Dr. Dellon's patients here on the forum. His associate Dr. Hashemi takes insurance and I believe GraceUnderFire said that he does neurectomy on other nerves but not Pudendal decompression. I was also told by another patient of his that Dr. Dellon does his surgeries at an outpatient center and the cost is under 25K and he does whatever he thinks you need all at once. I believe Grace said that they would operate together if more than one nerve is involved and insurance would pay for Dr. Hashemi. The thread that discusses the severing of the ST ligament is here:
http://www.pudendalhope.info/forum/view ... 9501#p9501
Be forewarned that a lot of this thread is GregT and AliPasha arguing, often in a personal way. Good Luck

Don

Thanks again!

Are there any Dr.'s that will agree to look at your MRI and let you know if they are the right person to address your problem? I would hate to make a trip and then find out they can't help you. I did send my Dr. Potter MRI to Dr. Hibner and he did say he can help but didn't say how, just said I had to come in. This process is like another full-time job on top of the one I have......

[donstore]

Paul,
I was just informed that for $95 you can have Dr. Ducic in Wash. D.C. review a questionaire and your MRI and then he will tell you if he can help you before you make the trip. He was trained by Dr. Dellon and takes insurance. I don't think he does pudendal decompression but does do other peripheral nerves. You would have to ask him to be sure.The link is here:
http://www.georgetownuniversityhospital ... l&ref=3145

I'm going to send my stuff to him and see what he says. Hibner only does the pudendal nerve and I believe he is also now doing the dorsal approach as well that he learned earlier this year from Dr. Oscar Askman (sic) in Austria. I have heard Dr. Askman is also much less expensive if you need this approach and are willing to fly to Austria. Another patient of Dr. Dellons who just had surgery on his genitofemoral nerve told me that Dr. Dellon charges $7500 per nerve and you have to also pay the anesthesia and site costs for the outpatient surgery center.

Best Wishes,

Don

[nyt]

The cost that Dr. Dellon charges varies by nerve. He quoted me $12,000/nerve but if he did the ilioinguinal nerve the genitofemoral would only be $3,000 because he was already in there. Remember this is for only one side so if you need both sides done that's $24,000 for the ilioinguinal and $6,000 for the genitofemoral for a total of $30,000. Maybe he has dropped his rates since I saw him in February if someone was charged $7,5000 or maybe he felt accessing the nerve for this individal would be less complicated and charges more if he believes the surgery is going to be more difficult. For example, someone like me who has nerve damage from trocar placements and he would have to go into all the scar tissue to find the nerve or any sutures would be more time consuming than someone who didn't have prior surgery. I'm just guessing here.

Dr. Ducic DOES NOT do pudendal surgery. He has published with Dr.Dellon on the Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve and can also do surgeries on the ilioinguinal and genitofemoral.

Don, do not send a CD of the MRI. Dr. Ducic specifically requests no CDs be sent but include a copy of the report.