Upcoming Spinal Surgery (Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa: insurance, home, vs.)

[The Villages Guy]

I need to have spinal surgery and was referred to the Florida Spine Institute in Clearwater. Can anyone provide some feedback on them? The good, the bad and any better alternatives?

Thx

[crossingbay]

I cannot, but want to wish you the best with this, PriusH8r

[tinytrump]

Good luck and be well soon! I had two co-workers use a Dr on Rocky point they are doing pretty good. I think alot of this type of operations have advanced just like heart surgery, you will do great, I hope someone can give you a plus on the one in clearwater,

[Ken E]

Sent PM

[Mike1306]

I had a spinal tap done there probably 18 years ago so probably not indicative of current but I was not happy.
More recent spinal tap was much less painful

[stpeteguy]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

I need to have spinal surgery and was referred to the Florida Spine Institute in Clearwater. Can anyone provide some feedback on them? The good, the bad and any better alternatives?

Thx

I have used them. I had the epidural steroid shot in my back for a herniated disc. Dr. Chen did the procedure. I was very pleased with everything.

However, I was told by someone who knows the place very well, that if I actually needed back surgery, a better alternative would be the Laser Spine Institute.

I haven't check out the Laser Spine Institute myself, because the steroid shot I got at Clearwater Pain Management took care of my problems. But if I did need surgery, I would probably check them out.

[gardenpearl]

I have had two back surgeries in the past 8 months at Yale New Haven to remove a synovial cyst, bone spurs which were causing stenosis, and decompress the spine at level L4-L5. These are all the typical things that cause back pain in people 50 plus. My surgeries were minor and I was home the same night for both (by my choice.) A fusion would be a bit more complex of a recovery.

I looked into the Laser Spine Institute -- it may be great, but I found it is controversial, as most insurance companies won't cover laser. And laser will only help if your problem is with soft tissue, i.e. removal of disc material; it can't be used on bone to remove bone spurs, etc. which is what most of us have.

The same operations done by laser can be done now on a minimally invasive level by a neurosurgeon with micro instruments (and full insurance coverage.)

Research the doctor carefully online and with referrals from your primary care physician and go to a neurosurgeon vs. an orthopedic surgeon. That would be my advice after going through it.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by gardenpearl

The same operations done by laser can be done now on a minimally invasive level by a neurosurgeon with micro instruments (and full insurance coverage.)

Research the doctor carefully online and with referrals from your primary care physician and go to a neurosurgeon vs. an orthopedic surgeon. That would be my advice after going through it.

Thx to everyone in this thread.

Mine is a sizable herniated T6 thoracic disc. It is in a location where less than .25% of these things happen. It is now pushing up against the spinal core (I am not a doc, so terminology may not be exactly right). I am not sure anything other than surgery can really "fix" it and I am definitely seeing a neurosurgeon. I do not want a temp pain fix for sure. I want a permanent fix so I can be as active as I was before.

[Stewabby]

For any major surgery I would check out the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

[gardenpearl]

If you go onto "Vitals.com" you can research neurosurgeons in your area. The Tampa area has a lot of them and many are highly rated, as does Clearwater. U.S. News and World report also ranks neurosurgeons and hospitals if you want to google that. There are some nationally recognized surgeons in your area. I have been checking, in case I move to Florida and need another surgery someday, and Tampa came up with a relatively high number of good neurosurgeons.

I have had friends who had good results with spine operations in Miami and Sarasota also. Ideally, you want to be near the doctor, as long drives for followups after spine surgery are not great. You will not be able to drive yourself for several weeks, at least.

Many times, people in the business - MRI guys, pain doctors, therapists, O.R. nurses, and even your GP - will know who is really good at that particular procedure. Some neurosurgeons mostly do brain tumours, some mostly do backs, etc. I kept asking everyone I dealt with in the hospital and when the same names kept coming up, I knew who to go to.