Thank you again for a very insightful reply. You have certainly answered any questions I had. I am currently consulting with Dr. McLaughlin who is a neurosurgeon that has done many MVD surguries already. He was recommended by someone on this site and was trained by or worked with Dr. Janetta from the University of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, Dr. Janetta is now retired but is still evidently doing some consulting work. I agree that I certainly want to have this done by someone experienced. It seems like most people on the site that have successful MVD surgeries are using surgeons who are very experienced in that specific procedure. That, of course, only makes sense. Thanks, again, for your time. May you continue to be painfree and may I soon be able to say that same thing.
Hello! I am having a consult this week at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center With Dr. Horowitz. After 12 years I am done. So glad to hear of your positive experience;)
Hope your pain is better. Was wondering if you've had surgery, who did it, and how the surgery went? Hoping you read my posts about Dr. Janetta and went with someone else in his practice or one of the docs at Mayo. I'm pretty sure Dr. Horowitz was one of the docs who saw mw since I was in Allegney General for around six days the last surgery their. I am so glad to see Dr. Janetta has retired, it was very much past time. I'm sure when he was capable of doing those long procedures that required him to stand hours at a time, he was the best to have do this procedure, but with age unfortunately, we do tire easier. What a great legacy he has left to the medical community, just wish he would have left a little sooner. Please let me know who ended up doing your procedure and if you had a successful procedure. Hopefully one is all you'll need to fix the problem!
My consult at UPMC was today and went well. They are so knowledgeable and answered all my questions. I am returning monday, as we live 7 hours away, for more testing Tuesday. Surgery is Wednesday morning. I will be there in icu a few days then to hotel for a few and return for suture removal. I must stay close and cannot leave the nearby area when out of the hospital. I am so very fortunate to have a husband who can take this time off, also and an older child that can watch the younger. My husband and I are both 42 with an 11, 15, and 22 year old. This could be a huge hardship on a family. I am scared, but cannot live with this excruciating pain hours out of everyday, if not the whole day. At this point I say knock me out and have at it.
Dear Taylor, Thank you kindly for your posts. Did your nerve looping or entrapment show up on your MRI or MRA? How did the surgeon know this would be the case before operating? Was your pain constant or striking?
Hello Kathy - they took an MRI a day before the procedure but I do not know if it showed the entanglement. A previous MRI did not. Apparently the surgeon did not know before the procedure what he would encounter. The severing of the GP nerve was not something we had discussed or anticipated. The pain I had was intermittent like being stabbed with an icepick.
Thank you again for giving me the information about Dr.Wharen, I finally have an appointment on December 17th to see Dr. Wharen and neurology on the same day. Hope you are doing well.