Need to find the best private spinal surgeon

[Allofaflutter]

I’ve looked at reviews which all have and are good so how do you know which to choose? Is there a place that show death stats etc?

I'm sorry you've had such awful treatment OP, I've been reading your other thread.

I think you're doing the right thing. When I had similar back issues I asked my GP who she would go to privately if she was me - so it may be that your GP can advise. Some private consultants may see you and switch you to their NHS list for follow-up treatment, so worth getting one that does NHS and private work.

I’ve just had enough. My fil is very unwell with a leaking aneurysm that could go at any point. My mum is also very unwell and has been in hospital this week too. I can’t go on like this.

Good point . Thanks .

Can't advise on surgeons, but with your history of blood clots in your lungs and a high BMI you may not be suitable for surgery at a private hospital. The hospital wouldn't take you with the faintest hint of a medical history.

Given the co-morbidities you describe, it is very unlikely a Spire Hospital would take you on.

An anaesthetist would want access to know there was an ITU bed available for you before starting.

I suspect your issue will not so much be finding a surgeon but the anaesthetic assessment.

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@Allofaflutter Im lying flat with daily scoliosis pain- I’m disabled by it.
A chap I know spent £10,000 plus on spinal surgery and is far worse than before.

He bitterly regretted it.

Spine surgery doesn’t always work.
Even privately.

I’d love to be pain free and to not need to lie flat for parts of the day because of pain.

I had a successful microdiscectomy on NHS years ago - the pain from that was huge.( scar tissue pressing on nerve root.

It felt like a broken ankle at times.

Another Cauda Equina friend is on Methadone tablets for pain, which zonk him out.

Is there a place that show death stats etc?

Worth remembering that the best way to reduce your death stats is not to do high risk cases. In spinal surgery the risk of death isn't necessarily from the surgery but all the other medical problems the patient has which make them dangerous to anaesthetise and operate on.

@Allofaflutter Being “very fat” ( your term) will definitely make you a risk

Is there no way you can lose weight for the op?
Anaesthetics are hard on one- and being heavy will put big stress on your heart and lungs .

Even vets refuse to operate on animals whom they think are an anaesthetic risk.

Also recovering will be hard of you are “very fat “ ( again your words)

Worth trying to lose weight for operation.

Are you in hospital? What is the current plan?

I’m 4ft 10 and 22 stone. So very Queen Victoria.
no sent home to suffer.

Plan is “urgent” spine clinic appointment. Not had any contact so I guess urgent means different things to them.

And I had meningitis as a child and lost a hand.

lily stop reading this and stop trying to blackmail mum and dad. Fuck off back to the hellhole you belong in.

You can just say very fat, it’s a fact no offensive taken. I’ve eaten my feelings about being bullied for being different throughout school. I know I’m fat. Put on more lately with menopause.

Is everything alright OP?

Not really my deadbeat drug addicted sister has read this and now is saying if my parents give me money for private care then as the only other sibling she needs the same amount. Fuck off Lily. She’s been estranged for awhile for obvious reasons. I’ve been an only child really for years.

just what I need more stress.

Itu beds are very scarce so no the Spire can't just take you there. High risk surgery and anaesthetic is safer in the NHS, do they have a private patients wing and a spine surgeon who takes private patients.

They do? How do I access them to ask prices? Thanks so much.

RNOH has this and would be a much safer option than a solely private hospital. It’s a primarily NHS hospital with ICU facilities, just with a private wing attached. You receive the exact same high quality care as all of the other patients - just faster

Thank you.

Go onto their website or just ring and ask to be put through to the private patients secretary, they will arrange everything for you including an initial consultation, or your gp can refer you. I don't know how you access the RNOH but guess it's the same, just ring them, they will need your mri report and any letters you have.

I wouldn’t see any private doctor who wasn’t also working in the nhs.
I’ve just had inguinal hernia surgery privately and they were very strict with their pre-op assessment. I had recently had a 24-hour ecg and results came after my pre-op so I showed the anaesthetist and he deemed them ‘benign’ and proceeded with surgery. It sounds like you have a lot of comorbidities and most private hospitals don’t have an ICU.

Any spinal surgeon apart from the one being mentioned. All the others work in the NHS. There will be many many people who could tell you they’ve been operated on by the mentioned surgeon. A private surgeon should never be judged by how well known they are for performing operations in the private sector. There is money involved. And we’re not talking cosmetic surgery. It’s your spine.