Just quoted cost of 2 level Cervical ADR

steve55 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-03-2009, 05:14 PM

Just saw Dr Ziglar with TX back institute for my discogram follow up. Need 2 levels ADR as I had suspected. He did confirm that Aetna wont cover the first disc if I am doing a 2 disc procedure. So, I can forget about insurance. I then told him that I have found that I can get this done in Germany for about $37K and that I assumed it was much more than that to get it done here. His response was "Steve, we can do it for less than that here, I think much less". So, he will have his staff get back with me on that quote.

I just dont get it. Everything I have read, even looking at Stenum's website, the 2 level ADR is in the mid 30's. Not sure whats going on here. Will let everyone know what the final quote turns out to be. Ive been rethinking everything. If the prices are pretty similar, Im not 100% sure whether Ill get it done here or over there. Dr Zig is probably in the top 5 ADR surgeons in the US, and is surely well qualified. And it would be nice to not have to travel and deal with getting around over there , and I can have a doctor locally to follow up with later on. On the other hand, Dr Bertnetoli has more experience with multi level ADR and whether that will matter or not I dont know. The cervical ADR is alot more straight forward than the Lumbar. Maybe when you reach a certain level of expertise, having more ADR's under your belt may not matter. Oh well, we'll see. Mark advised me of what he thought a 2 level ADR with Dr B would be, about $37K. But now, I think I really need to find out for sure. Maybe Ill try calling Dr B's office direct. ANyone know how I can get a quote from them? I have a feeling the quotes will be similar, so I guess I have some decision making to do.

Lastly, his only comment about fibrin was that it was "Unproven" and he didnt reccomend it. That was it.

New-disc · #2 (**permalink**) 02-03-2009, 08:24 PM

Steve,

Please keep us posted!

I'll need work done to my neck within this yr.

Thanks ....

Terry Allen Blackburn · #3 (**permalink**) 02-03-2009, 10:41 PM

WOW Todd. I didn't know that you had cervical issues as well. Are you looking at going to the same place for cervical surgery? What discs are you looking at currently?

Terry Newton

New-disc · #4 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 12:45 AM

Terry,

Not real sure which disc is the problem @ this point. Right arm, and hand in pain. (swelling of right hand)

Stenum took x-rays of my neck back in 07 and said surgery was not a must at that time.

I need to update my MRI's, X-rays ..... o - so much fun!

Hoping to get surgery in the USA ... see what happens.

Todd

Kathy · #5 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 06:24 AM

Let me start out with this is obviously just my opinion....
If it were me, I would stick with Dr. Zigler and being local. He is very experienced in my opinion, I have only heard one bad thing about him (and it wasn't regarding anything relating to his surgical skill) and I think as far as surgeries done vs. amount of good outcomes percentage, I'm sure he is the same percentage of success as the others. Not to mention, just the few hours of flying to Florida and back just about killed me, I can't imagine having to do an overseas flight. I am definitely not looking forward to the flight home after surgery, first class or not. Too bad they don't offer many buisness class flights within the US; although my brother in law flew this on a 20 hour flight (he said your seat folds flat out, own personal tv and your own little area (or big in comparison to first class and especially coach seating). He said it was still miserable (and he doesn't have any pain issues). Also think it is crazy expensive to fly that way.
Anyway, you should know by now from Pm's that I'm pretty opinionated and passionate about backs! Best of Luck in making the right decision for you, Kathy
BTW- If you can give me a call, gotta tell you about more from Diane, when they thought I was having surgery there. Too much to type.

steve55 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 08:11 AM

Oh Yes, Diane, our most favoritist person in the whole wide world,....NOT!!

LOL. Yea, I started to tell Dr Ziglar about her approach. I told him that she was making me feel like I was on the path of denial. He said she is just making sure Im a good candidate etc, and to better prepare a patient for surgery. I explained that preparing a patient for surgery I can understand, but that she made me feel I was heading for denial and this I did not like very much. He brushed it off but at least he knows that this patient was a bit puturbed by her approach and mannerisms.

Ill call ya sometime so you can tell me more about it.

And about my zig vs Dr B quandry, I got this little voice in my head saying that if anything doesnt turn out as good as expected, Ill be kickin myself in the butt for not going to Dr B, who has to have many more hundreds of multi level surgeries than zig. BUt when someone like Dr Zig gets to the high expert level that he is at, can one REALLY say that Dr B is better? I dont know the answer to that. I wish I did. Everyone says Br B is t he best in the world. BUt must I have t o have the best in the world for a straightforward 2 level cervicasl procedure? This is the quandry and I still havent decided, so far leaning towards Dr B just to be SAFE! Plus I can go see the Fatherland. LOL, well, I am of german ancestry, so would be kind of cool to see my german homies. (LOL)