[janelgo1952]

Hi! I am new to this forum and have been reading everyone's posts about their experiences with their back surgeries....very, interesting. I have Spondylolisthesis, and the surgeon is wanting to do a S1, L4 & 5 Posterior Fusion, plus I have a growth or tumor that is laying on my spine.

I was scheduled for August 12, and panicked. I cancelled the surgery, because I just did not feel confident in the surgeon, or his staff having my best interests at heart. I have been researching different feedback on surgeons in my area and the ratings of the hospitals that they are affiliated with. I have found a surgeon about 77 miles from here and both he and the hospital are above national averages in their ratings.
As I read everyone's stories, I was perplexed that no one mentioned their doctors names or the hospitals that did their surgeries. I think that you have to feel confident with both. I was also, interested in the uncanny similarities around the infections and their hardware. I am suppose to have 12 screws put in and 4 rods....that is a lot of hardware, so it concerns me about this coincidence that has been occurring around their infections, related to the hardware.
I would also, like to know if any of you who had these infections were over 50? I am 62. The surgeon that I was going to have do this, is now being investigated by CBS for doing over 243 multiple fusions in a year, which is by far more than any other surgeon in the USA.
When I spoke to him after cancelling the surgery, he referred to himself as being like a machine(?)! Ugh! That did not go over very well for me. He also, makes his patient wait 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours to see him. I also, heard from perfect strangers that I should not let him do the surgery, as he had operated on someone they knew and it had not turned out very well.
The hospital, also, had a bad reputation for Staph Infections, and Pneumonia while in the hospital or post-surgery. Can anyone shed any light on how so many people are ending up with Staph infections! Seems alarming to me! If I go with this other doctor I will have to wait 5 months to be able to setup an appointment in order to be able to obtain the type of insurance that he accepts. I look forward to hearing fro some of you on your recommendations and whether or not you agree with my decision to postpone my surgery and look elsewhere.