Re: Appt with Dr Berven, UCSF - 2/7/11

[Guest guest]

,

Doesn't Dr Berven work with Dr Hu at UCSF? The group at UCSF has been talked

about quite a bit, and if my memory serves me right then most people have has

positive things to say about Dr Hu. I don't think Dr Berven has been talked

about as much, but I think I've heard good things about him too.

> >

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > I have an appointment to see Dr LaGrone on December 23rd since I am visiting

family in TX. I live in San Diego and will probably have the surgery at UCSF in

2011 but it will be good to get a second opinion. Sorry I have not been active

on the site but it is great that we have a support group.

> >

> > I am including my history and I have a few questions.

> >

> > I had scoliosis surgery with 2 Harrington rods when I was 15. I am fused to

T-3.  I am

> > now 48 and have lower back pain. I work full-time and can only stand and

walk for a short time.

> >

> > 1.Can you have an osteotomy after H rod surgery and not have your spine

fused all the way to the sacrum ?    

> >

> > 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for my first visit with Dr LaGrone.

It is great that we have a list of questions posted on this site.  Dr LaGrone

schedules 2 hours for first time patients so I hope to have all my questions

answered.

> >  

> > 3. Since I live in San Diego, I will probably have the surgery at UCSF. I

plan to see Dr Berven in 2011. Has anyone had surgery with Dr Berven ? Does he

have similar experience to Dr Hu ?

> >

> >

> > Thank you and Happy Holidays!

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi - I know I told you before that per my conversation with Dr Hu that she

considers Dr Berven " equally qualified " to perform revision surgery. I just

wanted to add that a member of the other group I belong to ( R) had her A/P

surgery with Dr Berven as the primary & Dr Hu as the secondary on January 20th

with excellent results. As for me...I had my posterior on December 14th & my

anterior on January 24th with Dr. Hu. My results are nothing short of

phenominal!!! Hope this helps....................Kathy

> > >

> > > Hi everyone,

> > >

> > > I have an appointment to see Dr LaGrone on December 23rd since I am

visiting family in TX. I live in San Diego and will probably have the surgery at

UCSF in 2011 but it will be good to get a second opinion. Sorry I have not been

active on the site but it is great that we have a support group.

> > >

> > > I am including my history and I have a few questions.

> > >

> > > I had scoliosis surgery with 2 Harrington rods when I was 15. I am fused

to T-3.  I am

> > > now 48 and have lower back pain. I work full-time and can only stand and

walk for a short time.

> > >

> > > 1.Can you have an osteotomy after H rod surgery and not have your spine

fused all the way to the sacrum ?    

> > >

> > > 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for my first visit with Dr

LaGrone. It is great that we have a list of questions posted on this site.  Dr

LaGrone schedules 2 hours for first time patients so I hope to have all my

questions answered.

> > >  

> > > 3. Since I live in San Diego, I will probably have the surgery at UCSF. I

plan to see Dr Berven in 2011. Has anyone had surgery with Dr Berven ? Does he

have similar experience to Dr Hu ?

> > >

> > >

> > > Thank you and Happy Holidays!

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

I met Dr Berven and his nurse on Monday and was very impressed with the team at UCSF. I am planning to have the A/P surgery this summer at UCSF and will start scheduling a date in March. Dr Berven thought it would be a 1 day surgery.

Dr Berven mentioned that someone in his office ( R ?) had a similar surgery and he would provide contact details for me to talk to other patients.

I hope you and are recovering well.

Thank you.

From: KATHYINBK <kathyinbk@...>Subject: Re: Appt with Dr Berven, UCSF - 2/7/11 Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 2:02 PM

Hi - I know I told you before that per my conversation with Dr Hu that she considers Dr Berven "equally qualified" to perform revision surgery. I just wanted to add that a member of the other group I belong to ( R) had her A/P surgery with Dr Berven as the primary & Dr Hu as the secondary on January 20th with excellent results. As for me...I had my posterior on December 14th & my anterior on January 24th with Dr. Hu. My results are nothing short of phenominal!!! Hope this helps....................Kathy> > >> > > Hi everyone,> > > > > > I have an appointment to see Dr LaGrone on December 23rd since I am visiting family in TX. I live in San Diego and will probably have the surgery at UCSF in 2011Â but it will be good to get a second opinion. Sorry I have not been active on the site but it is great that we have a support group.> > > > > > I am including my history and I have a few questions. > > > > > > I had scoliosis surgery with

2 Harrington rods when I was 15. I am fused to T-3.  I am > > > now 48 and have lower back pain. I work full-time and can only stand and walk for a short time. > > > > > > 1.Can you have an osteotomy after H rod surgery and not have your spine fused all the way to the sacrum ?    > > > > > > 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for my first visit with Dr LaGrone. It is great that we have a list of questions posted on this site.  Dr LaGrone schedules 2 hours for first time patients so I hope to have all my questions answered. > > >  > > > 3. Since I live in San Diego, I will probably have the surgery at UCSF. I plan to see Dr Berven in 2011. Has anyone had surgery with Dr Berven ? Does he have similar experience to Dr Hu ?> > > > > > > > > Thank you and Happy

Holidays!> > > > > >> >>

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[Guest guest]

Good morning - "yes" R works at UCSF. She had her choice between Dr Hu & Dr Berven. So that should tell you something. I just wanted to add a little more. I have been in the hospital MANY times over the years & I have to tell you...UCSF has the most caring & compassionate staff I have ever encountered. Everyone from the nurses & physical therapists to the gals in the kitchen. They noticed that I wasn't eating & gave me a visit with a special menu. They even made sure that I got discharged on time so I wouldn't miss my flight home... & that was easier said than done. This is in additional to the FANTASTIC doctors. I will NEVER be able to properly thank Dr Hu for what she has done for me. I hope that Dr Berven gives you the same results. Have a

great day.

.................................................Kathy

From: KATHYINBK <kathyinbk@...>Subject: Re: Appt with Dr Berven, UCSF - 2/7/11 Date: Sunday, February 6, 2011, 2:02 PM

Hi - I know I told you before that per my conversation with Dr Hu that she considers Dr Berven "equally qualified" to perform revision surgery. I just wanted to add that a member of the other group I belong to ( R) had her A/P surgery with Dr Berven as the primary & Dr Hu as the secondary on January 20th with excellent results. As for me...I had my posterior on December 14th & my anterior on January 24th with Dr. Hu. My results are nothing short of phenominal!!! Hope this helps....................Kathy> > >> > > Hi everyone,> > > > > > I have an appointment to see Dr LaGrone on December 23rd since I am visiting family in TX. I live in San Diego and will probably have the surgery at UCSF in 2011Â but it will be good to get a second opinion. Sorry I have not been active on the site but it is great that we have a support group.> > > > > > I am including my history and I have a few questions. > > > > > > I had scoliosis surgery with 2 Harrington rods when I was 15. I am fused to T-3. Â I am > > > now 48 and have lower back pain. I work full-time and can only stand and walk for a short time. > > > > > >

1.Can you have an osteotomy after H rod surgery and not have your spine fused all the way to the sacrum ?    > > > > > > 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for my first visit with Dr LaGrone. It is great that we have a list of questions posted on this site.  Dr LaGrone schedules 2 hours for first time patients so I hope to have all my questions answered. > > >  > > > 3. Since I live in San Diego, I will probably have the surgery at UCSF. I plan to see Dr Berven in 2011. Has anyone had surgery with Dr Berven ? Does he have similar experience to Dr Hu ?> > > > > > > > > Thank you and Happy Holidays!> > > > > >> >>

Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit.

[Guest guest]

,

I had anterior and posterior surgery by Dr. Berven at UCSF 2 years ago. I'm

doing great and I really felt like I had THE best surgeon. I had a fairly

complicated case (as I bet many people in this group do). I have a lot of nerve

damage from my first surgery (1981) and he was incredibly thorough in

investigating everything including giving me an MRI on my neck where they found

signfiicant scar tissue on my spinal cord there. That along with the fact that

I suffered ulnar and median nerve damage in my left hand as a result of my first

surgery (he believes I was positioned wrong on the table and THAT cuased the

permanent damage) actually caused him to make me " case of the week " when all the

physicians meet and discuss weird cases. Ultimately he wanted to be sure they

didn't exacerbate anything by their approach.

My revision surgery took 13 hours. Dr. Berven finally agreed to do both sides

(front and back) in one surgery as opposed to splitting it up into two separate

surgeries. I was very insistent about one surgery and he thought I was healthy

enough and " young " enough to withstand it. If you can make that happen I'd

highly recommend it. THe recovery was tough, but after 2 months I really started

to feel better than I had in years. Walking upright, getting a good night's

sleep and finally weaning off pain meds after 10 years has been liberating to

say the least. In many ways I should have had this surgery sooner but I was

desperately afraid of what could happen given my first experience. Dr. Berven

was very patient with me, thorough and got the job done! I'd highly recommend

him.

Best of luck to you . I know it s a HUGE decision.

-Margae

> >

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > I have an appointment to see Dr LaGrone on December 23rd since I am visiting

family in TX. I live in San Diego and will probably have the surgery at UCSF in

2011 but it will be good to get a second opinion. Sorry I have not been active

on the site but it is great that we have a support group.

> >

> > I am including my history and I have a few questions.

> >

> > I had scoliosis surgery with 2 Harrington rods when I was 15. I am fused to

T-3.  I am

> > now 48 and have lower back pain. I work full-time and can only stand and

walk for a short time.

> >

> > 1.Can you have an osteotomy after H rod surgery and not have your spine

fused all the way to the sacrum ?    

> >

> > 2. Does anyone have any recommendations for my first visit with Dr LaGrone.

It is great that we have a list of questions posted on this site.  Dr LaGrone

schedules 2 hours for first time patients so I hope to have all my questions

answered.

> >  

> > 3. Since I live in San Diego, I will probably have the surgery at UCSF. I

plan to see Dr Berven in 2011. Has anyone had surgery with Dr Berven ? Does he

have similar experience to Dr Hu ?

> >

> >

> > Thank you and Happy Holidays!

> >

> >

>