Re: CT scan results not good Steph O/

February 3, 2006

I am not trying to push anything and haven't kept up on the subject

for over a year, but...

The surgeon in OKC also gave me the impression that in the long term,

the scope procedure was not as good. He felt the lit. didn't support

moving his practice in that direction. He was very negative about it,

but came highly recommended so who was I to question? We just thought

that was that.

Anyway, a good family friend is a plastic surgeon in Dallas which is

how we ended up with Hobar. He felt like for something like this, we

needed to speak with someone in a larger medical community who

specialized JUST in pediatric cases and was on the cutting edge of

new procedures. We were lucky and, thanks to strings being pulled,

got in in 2 days.

I asked Hobar about the results of the scope vs traditional surgery

and his feeling were (as I remember) that 1) he felt the scope

surgery DOES have as good of outcomes, though they are more dependent

on parental compliance (wearing the helmet) 2) the diminished risk of

the scope surgery far outweighs CVR. He still sometimes did the

traditional surgery, but preferred it when they could scope.

We also has issues with our insurance b/c the doctor in OKC was in-

network and we were going out of state. Because the scope procedure

is so much cheaper and the outcomes are good, it was fairly easy to

convince Aetna to consider using an out of state surgeon. And this

was a year-and-a-half ago. Hobar's office would take care of all of

that. I got the impression that surgeons who do this procedure had

experience dealing with the in/out of network economics and appeals.

Of course, a lot depends on the experience of the surgeon. Most

insurance WILL pay for a second opinion.

Just TALK to a surgeon who has done both to get a balanced opinion.

Or, ask aout it on CAPPS. Many parents there have done both surgeries.

Dr. Jimenez and Dr. Constance Barone at University Health

System are the doctors in San . Nationally, they are

considered among the top surgeons in the field. They moved down there

about the time we were going through all of this. Might be more

easier for you.

> > > >

> > > > I just wanted to let you all know that 's CT scan

results

> came

> > > back positive for craniosynostosis. It looks like we'll be

> gearing up

> > > for surgery instead of just a band. We have an appt with the

> > > neurosurgeon on March 9.

> > > >

> > > > &

> > > >

> > >

> > > For more plagio info

February 3, 2006