An Open Letter To Spine Surgeons

[Maria]

ADR seeker
This is nice and low key for you while still being direct enough to perhaps elicit some answers. I'd be inclined to change the last sentence as that sounds like a command rather than a plea. I'd be surprised if anyone in the US answers an open letter with anything written because of potential legal reasons unless they are sure to include language which makes it perfectly clear that they are in no way offering any care or recommending any surgery w/o having seen a patient first. Be sure to include your phone number just in case somebody may actually call you which I'm thinking won't happen but you never know.

There are a few typos and/or left out words that you'd need to correct first..

The one surgeon that actually took the time to talk to me via phone and answer my questions was Dr. Dillon of Kerlan Jobes in LA county. He talked to me for a half hour and was like the guy next door and he was at home because his wife was calling him for dinner. Real nice person. I thank him everyday for giving me his opinion of 3 level global fusion success (not very) tho he did offer to give me an opinion based on seeing me and having a discogram was done (later I went on to have 3 discograms done and had a number of surgical consultations tho not for fusion, rather ADR).

Good luck.

[jsewell]

Hi
I would leave out the sentences about offending anyone. I think you have made your point in your letter and if i were reading this as a surgeon , i don't think i would answer you based on that comment.
Good Luck
judy

[ADR seeker]

Originally Posted by Maria

ADR seeker
This is nice and low key for you while still being direct enough to perhaps elicit some answers. I'd be inclined to change the last sentence as that sounds like a command rather than a plea. I'd be surprised if anyone in the US answers an open letter with anything written because of potential legal reasons unless they are sure to include language which makes it perfectly clear that they are in no way offering any care or recommending any surgery w/o having seen a patient first. Be sure to include your phone number just in case somebody may actually call you which I'm thinking won't happen but you never know.

There are a few typos and/or left out words that you'd need to correct first..

The one surgeon that actually took the time to talk to me via phone and answer my questions was Dr. Dillon of Kerlan Jobes in LA county. He talked to me for a half hour and was like the guy next door and he was at home because his wife was calling him for dinner. Real nice person. I thank him everyday for giving me his opinion of 3 level global fusion success (not very) tho he did offer to give me an opinion based on seeing me and having a discogram was done (later I went on to have 3 discograms done and had a number of surgical consultations tho not for fusion, rather ADR).

Good luck.

Thanks for the best wishes and the critique.

I did get a call from a surgeon in Chapel Hill who was involved in the clinical trials for Neo Disk. He did 14 of them and only one failed and he was honest enough to admit is was his fault. He used the wrong size implant. Neo Disk is still not available and Spinal Kenetics has no plans to seek FDA approval for the M6.

The FDA has gotten worse under Commissioner Margaret Hamburg MD. She is now stacking the advisory panels with paid industry shills.

You can contact the FDA to oppose the new draft guidance by writing to:

Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 10-61
Rockville, MD 20857

Or calling:
(888) 463-6332

Be sure to reference Docket No. FDA-1999-D-0792

To contact FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg directly, you can call her:

(301) 796-5000

Or email her:

Office: Margaret.Hamburg@fda.hhs.gov
Personal: margaretahamburg@aol.com

You can also contact your representatives by visiting:
Congress.org - Get informed, get involved

[Maria]

ADRseeker,
Glad you got a phone call. That was real nice of the surgeon and to also admit a failure of his own doing (picking too large a size)~ very good of him.
Hope you get even more responses after the holiday perhaps.

Thanks for the FDA contact info.

[ADR seeker]

Originally Posted by Maria

ADRseeker,
Glad you got a phone call. That was real nice of the surgeon and to also admit a failure of his own doing (picking too large a size)~ very good of him.
Hope you get even more responses after the holiday perhaps.

Thanks for the FDA contact info.

This guy was a real gem. He was a man who loves his profession and his patients. He sounded very excited about what he does and he also sang the praises of Dr Luis Paneta in Brazil.

What is more troubling to me than what the FDA does not approve is what they do approve. If you Google FDA corruption you will get close to 39 MILLION results.

[jsewell]

I hope you get many more answers to your letter. Did that doc offer any advice to you?
judy

[mmglobal]

Dascor is a failed device.

In NC, I like Dan Murrey at OrthoCarolina.