reply to Bob...

[Guest guest]

Hi Bob!

>Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 18:43:16 -0000

>From: bobkorh@...

>Subject: To Pearlz & Maggie-the- Cat

>Hi Pearlz,

>Let me introduce myself, my name is Bob and I live in Bennington

>which is just outside of Buffalo. I have AVN stage 4 or 5 (depending

>on which doctor you talk to) in both hips, . I've read most of your

>postings and was wondering which orthopedic doctor you use.

You don't want my orthopedic doctor.... He is not a fan of

hip surface replacement. When I came in with articles on the

newest techniques it seemed as though he knew nothing about them

and he talked about osteolytes and bone breaking down and the

surface replacements not working. I told him that a few decades

ago they had problems like that but the metal on metal is much

better. I had the impression he knew nothing about metal on metal

surface replacements.

At first he said he would write a letter to my insurance

and then when I sent him more documentation and asked for the

letter, he and his secretary acted as though I was a crazy person.

This was a bit disappointing as I'd been seeing him for 15 years,

but oh well... I prefer not to give his name as I think he is

really a good guy and competent doctor and good at doing the

traditional total hip replacement. I just wish he had flatly

said " no letter " from the beginning, instead of first saying he

would write it if I got in the clinical trial and then backing out.

Maybe he didn't think I'd ever get in the clinical trial?

I eventually figured out my insurance would not have covered it anyway,

letter or not, so I switched to insurance that will. I'm just going

directly through Dr. Mont and his office now. They are going to

arrange it with my insurance. (I think it best to let the experts

take care of the insurance.) I will have my xrays mailed back to Dr.

Mont 6 weeks after my surgery. My family doctor is being supportive and

helping me get the pre-surgical testing done so it's nice to have a

little support.

>The doctor who treated me 2-1/2 years ago failed to inform me of hemi

>surfacing at the time. Now it may be too late for that procedure so I

Based on what I went through, I'm not surprised your doctor was not

up-to-date on the latest techniques.

>am now in contact with at J.R.I. in L.A. about having

>bi-lateral total resurfacing. Have you talked to DR. Krackow at

>Buffalo General? He was referred to me by the Medical

>Technology rep in the Buffalo area. I understand that he has used the

>Conserve hemi surfacing device in the past. He has also written a

>paper with DR. Mont on resurfacing. The problem I have is that DR.

>Krackow can't see me until Feb. 16th, and I won't use my previous dr.

>because I feel that he is biased against any procedure that he

>himself can not perform. $$$ Would you / could you recommend the dr.

>that you have been seeing. By the way J.R.I. feels that I may be a

>good candidate for the Conserve Plus study and that I may be able to

>have the procedure done by March.

Again, you don't want my doctor. Lol! I paid $10. for a copy of

my x-rays (they have to give it) and express-mailed it to Dr.

Mont. I mailed them on a Monday and had a reply from doctor

Mont within 3-4 days and was added to the clinical trial. First

he sent me an email and then he called me from his cellphone. I

suggest you do that with both JRI and Dr. Mont. I think it's easier

to get in with Dr. Mont and the travel is certainly easier from

Buffalo (1 hour flight on Southwest from Buffalo and $107. round

trip).

I never heard of Dr. Krakow. Eventually I'll have to find

a doctor in Buffalo so maybe I'll try that Dr. Krakow you mention.

I want someone who has a clue about surface replacements. I don't

know anything about AVN so cannot comment on that. I was born

with dysplasia of my left hip and had an osteotomy at age 11. I'm

43 now and have been waiting for my hip to go bone-on-bone for

over 30 years. I was very lucky it lasted so long. I get the

impression that my type of problem is far different than yours so

none of my experience would apply.

My only suggestion is goto the source -- a doctor actually doing

the resurfacing. They don't need to see you, they just need the

xray (unless its different with AVN).

Sorry I could not be of more help.

- Pearlz -