2-level cervical ADR in Canada

fortitudine · #1 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 05:07 PM

As some of you know I have been exploring options for surgery related to cord compression from osteophytes at c3/4/5. Dr. B is my no.1 pick. However, in an attempt to get some financial support from the provincial health care system here I have requested a consult with a sometime-colleague of Dr. B's in Canada. In the many months it has taken for his office to get back to me, he has apparently started doing 2-level cervical ADR.

I will hopefully know more soon.

Fortitudine

ragopian · #2 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 01:47 PM

Fortitudine,

I am trying to find out if ADR is practiced by surgeons in Canada, according to your words it seems that it is. I have cervical degenerative disc disease @C5-6. As an american, do you think I can have the surgery done in Canada? Also, could you provide me with your surgeons contact info. Thank you and have a nice pain free day.

fortitudine · #3 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 11:16 PM

To Ragoplan and any other non-Canadians,

The short answer is no way, Jose! Canada has a public health care system: all residents are covered for supposedly all their health care needs. That is the good news. The bad news is that we do not always have access to the newest drugs or the latest technology. As well, we don't usually have the option of going elsewhere in the country if the procedure can be done in our province, even if there are better doctors elsewhere...

As far as ADR goes, there are a few physicians doing it here, mostly lumbar.Since all physicians (except for a few rebels) are paid by the government system, there is little need for them to generate publicity, so it's hard to find out what is happening, but I think we are way behind Europe and the US. Even then waiting times are from 6 months to more than a year to have a first consult with an OS/NS.