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Old 03-26-2008, 07:12 AM #21
Kathi49 Kathi49 is offline
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Gloria,

Thank you. I agree, if it is one level than minimially invasive surgery MIGHT be okay. I think people are looking for something "simple" to fix their pain. And we ALL want or wanted pain relief. But two very well known and respected NS's told me a fusion would be necessary and WHY. If Dr. Jho's procedures were "all that'; just about every NS would be doing them. And they aren't! There are reasons for that. I would have just hated to have something minimally done in my cervical spine only to have it all collapse like a house of cards! At least the fusions and the hardware are STABLE. That was my goal besides pain relief. And, nope, we don't always get relief even with ANY kind of surgery. And yes we can have the dreaded domino effect. But I don't and won't mess around with the cervical spine. If my NS said tomorrow that I needed another fusion, I would hate it...but I would LISTEN to him. He is and was very thorough when he explained it all to me and even why I wouldn't be a candidate for an ADR. I just want to say...people...if your NS or OSS is saying fusions; then listen to them. Dr. Jho is just one of thousands and as I said before...his procedures do NOT make any sense to me and actually alerted me to more trouble down the road.
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Old 03-30-2008, 11:16 AM #22
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Kathi,

I was set to see Dr. Jho as my brother lives in Pittsburgh...I saw the surgeons in my local area, Philadelphia, Baltimore, etc...Then I talked to a woman who had surgery with Jho on one of the other forums...She was from the Philadelphia area. She did not have good results and told me off line she would never return to him. Not only did she not have good surgical results, but there was no post surgical care. If you have a good outcome, you have no problems getting through to Jho's people, but if you have complaints, they do not return calls. I guess that is why his statistics are so high...He just does not report the failures. There are many people who are afraid to speak up publicly on the boards...

I talked to medical people that know Jho from the Pittsburgh area and after speaking to some of those people...Though they did not speak in specifics...other than to say stay away.....I decided to stay within the norm and saw docs at the U of Pittsburgh; though in the end I went to Baltimore, U of Penn, and then NYC for surgery..Surgeons in Philadelphia told me that they worked with surgeons that studied with Jho and they could not repeat his statistics, so that tells me something is wrong...His procedures work for some...probably if you have something that can be fixed with a very minimally invasive procedure. I was told he would not accept me as a patient because he screens his patients carefully.

My own surgeon, Fabien Bitan, in NYC, does minimally invasive procedures. He apologized for not being able to offer something minimally invasive ...All surgeons would like to be able to offer us something that does not require a long incision, rods, screws, cages, and grafting....but it is not always possible...so be very, very, careful...Do not go into surgery for just pain relief...Those of us that have been on the forums for a long time, know that surgery is not done for just pain relief...It is to provide stability of the spine as well or to ease compression of nerves, etc...so know why you are having surgery and why you are signing a consent form...BE VERY LEARY OF ANY SURGEON THAT PROMISES PAIN RELIEF AS A REASON FOR SURGERY, OR COMPLETE RELIEF OF PAIN...Most of us know that is not going to happen...

I have no regrets about either of my fusions.....I do not know why people have such a fear either of the harvesting of bone from the hip area...I only had pain once after that surgery...and have had them go in there three times for bone....The pain that I felt was not unbearable...I think people worry too much about things that are not really a concern.....A bandaid covers that area after the surgery...I repeat if Jho's statistics can not be repeated, there is something that is not right...and I would be just a bit leary of a doc that does not follow-up with his patients when they have problems after surgery; rather blows them off and acts as though they are a bother....I bet he does not hesitate to cash the check from their insurance company...I had my cervical fusion three years ago and the lumbar fusion two years ago. I am still seeing those docs...I see the doc that did the cervical fusion once a year now and the doc that did the lumbar fusion every six months now...If I have a problem, they are only a phone call away...
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4/06 - Lumbar Fusion - L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, S1
Anterior with cages and Posterior with rods and screws.

8/17/05 - Cervical Fusion - C4-5, 5-6, 6-7 - Anterior and Posterior Fusion with plate in front and rods and screws in the rear - Corpectomy at C-4 and C-5 and microdisectomy at C6-7.

1/4/05 - Lumbar Laminectomy -L3, L4, L5, S1, S2 Obliteration of Tarlov Cyst at S2. Failed surgery!

Last edited by GJZH; 03-31-2008 at 02:05 AM.
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Old 03-30-2008, 01:33 PM #23
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Bravo Gloria! Very well said! And I am in full agreement.

I think what people are looking for again, is something simplistic that may or may not solve their problem. But they are NOT thinking of STABILITY...or so it seems. As you know I pretty much hang out at BT and I do so because SOME of the posts here are just complete voodoo in my opinion. But I know you are a "seasoned veteran". So, please folks...listen to Gloria because she knows what she is talking about. And I hear ya Gloria, my NS is only a call away as well. As a matter of fact my own spinal PM had his fusions done by my NS as well. Now that tells me a lot! You know when a spinal pain management doctor has cervical fusions done by a particular NS, he has done his homework!
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Old 03-30-2008, 10:06 PM #24
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GJZD >> you had Lumbar Laminectomy -L3, L4, L5, S1, S2 and then Lumbar Fusion - L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, S1, whose are life changing surgeries. Lumbar Laminectomy leads to instability of the spine, which leads to fusions. In the long term, fusions lead to more fusions. My father had Lumbar Laminectomy 25 years ago; it took him 4 months to recover. You have not mentioned anything about your recovering time or why you needed fusions.

The aforementioned is exactly why I went to Dr. Jho. He relieved most of my problems; I was back to work in 12 days, and playing sports in 4 weeks.

It is true Dr. Jho is not the most outgoing guy. He is Korean; I think it is mostly cultural. I have had many surgeries; I had more post op visits in the hospital from Dr. Jho and his staff than any other of the surgeries that I have had. The hospital staff was outstanding and had nothing but very positive things to say about Dr. Jho.

Your comment regarding Dr. Jho changing hospitals is interesting. I wonder why the hospital he joined sent out several press releases announcing Dr. Jho joining the hospital. These press announcements basically stated they were giving him a wing of the hospital for minimally invasive surgery with several of his own operating rooms.

I am truly sorry that there are people that did not have good results from Dr. Jho. But I think it is more helpful for everyone to stick to the facts.
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Old 03-31-2008, 01:58 AM #25
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Dallaskibby,

I have not posted anything that is not true...Others have posted their stories about Jho to this thread and to other forums...I think if Jho were as good as the few people that post to a few threads say he is we would see more stories about him on the Internet...I have done a search and just do not find that many people singing his praises...There are as many good stories as bad...

The fact that you were back to work in 12 days and playing sports in 4 weeks tells me that you did not have extensive problems before the surgery.

I think you can tell by my signature that my spinal problems are extensive. I would never waste my time by contacting Jho. I sought only the best surgeons at the best hospitals in the world. I started at Johns Hopkins and then went into NYC. I admit my laminectomy failed...We knew it might at the onset...I wanted to try something that was not as extensive as a fusion at first...The problems with my spine start at the top and go to the SI joints...I doubt that Jho would ever entertain the thought of helping me...or could...He does not have the expertise or the time. He is in and out of the operating room with most patients in hours. My lumbar fusion was 16 hours and took two days...It took the skill of a highly trained OSS....Someone who had done many multi-level fusions..Most spinal surgeons have not done more than a three level or will not do more than a three level fusion....There are not many of surgeons in the US that can do a multi-level fusion and do it with success....I am not pain free, but my spine is stable and my pain is better that it was before my surgery.

I am glad that you had a good outcome with Dr. Jho...I do not know how far out from surgery you are...but I think you should read some of the testimonials at Healthboards...There seemed to be more people there that posted about failed surgeries. I do not know if those posts are still archived because the last time I searched for info was probably in 2004/2005....At that time there seemed to be many more posts from people that were disgruntled and unhappy about their treatment and surgeries. It also seems that about one year after the surgery is when people started to have difficulties, so please do be careful with your activities, no matter how well you feel now. Good luck with your surgery....and I do hope you are getting regular follow-ups...I saw my surgeon at four weeks, eight weeks, three months, six months, nine months, one year, fifteen months, eighteen months, two years, ...and now about every six months...I see him now for my cervical spine...and thoracic spine as well...You can see as I said...I have extensive problems...Jho would never see me as a patient...I would mess up his statistics...
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4/06 - Lumbar Fusion - L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, S1
Anterior with cages and Posterior with rods and screws.

8/17/05 - Cervical Fusion - C4-5, 5-6, 6-7 - Anterior and Posterior Fusion with plate in front and rods and screws in the rear - Corpectomy at C-4 and C-5 and microdisectomy at C6-7.

1/4/05 - Lumbar Laminectomy -L3, L4, L5, S1, S2 Obliteration of Tarlov Cyst at S2. Failed surgery!
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Old 03-31-2008, 03:02 PM #26
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Gloria,

Another good post. Just wanted to add that my husband MIGHT be facing a Laminectomy (lumbar L4/L5). Any advice you could give me would be appreciated. Not as in surgeons; we do have some great ones. I am just wondering if you could provide any advice. It is not certain yet that he will need this but it seems to me he is heading that way. Oh, and it just the one level that is bad; herniated and FRAGMENTED disc. You ought to see this thing on his MRI...it is one ugly beast! In a sense, I hope they say fusion instead...but I don't know yet. He is scheduled for one more injection. If that doesn't work, time to consider surgery.
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Old 04-20-2008, 09:31 PM #27
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The following is an excerpt from this Website>>europeanmedicaltourist.com/spine-surgery/laminectomy.html

Laminectomy: Definition
Laminectomy is a surgical procedure for treating spinal stenosis by relieving pressure on the spinal cord. The lamina of the vertebra is removed to widen the spinal canal and create more space for the spinal nerves. A Laminectomy is not recommended in people under 35 and should not be done on multiple adjoining levels, because it can destabilize the spinal column! (which, would require fusion and/or cages)

Some surgeons believe that the laminectomy procedure, by removing excessive amounts of bone and ligament from the spine, disturbs the biomechanical stability of the spinal column, resulting in pain. Alternative techniques for decompressing spinal nerves with minimal disruption of spinal stability have been developed and include microsurgical lumbar laminoplasty. (this is the procedure that Dr. Jho does)
Laminectomy: History
The first laminectomy was performed in 1887 by Dr. Victor Alexander Haden Horsley, a professor of surgery at the University College London.

A common type of laminectomy is performed to permit the removal or reshaping of a spinal disc as part of a lumbar discectomy. This is a treatment for a herniated disc, bulging or degenerated disc. Laminectomies are also used trim bone growth in the spinal canal, most noteably from the facet joint or to trim calcification of the spinal canal.

Laminectomy: Reasons for the Procedure
One of the most common reasons for laminectomy is a prolapsed or herniated intervertebral disc. If the herniated disc is in the lumbar region, this can cause sharp and continuing back pain, a weakening of the muscles in the leg, and some loss of sensation in the leg and foot. It may also be difficult to raise the leg when it is held in a straight position. A herniated disc in the neck region can cause symptoms including pain, numbness and weakness in the arm. A herniated disc may be triggered by, for example, twisting the back while lifting something heavy. The surgeon will attempt to relieve the pressure on nerves and nerve roots by removing the pulpy material that is protruding from the disc.



>>> Another website that may maybe of interest, they do microsurgical lumbar laminoplasty. They do a procedure that is very similar to Dr. Jho’s. Using the same Endoscopic tools from Johnson & Johnson. But they charge $60,000 and do not accept insurance >>>

Website>>laserspineinstitute.com/spinal_orthopedic_procedures/laminotomy

At Laser Spine Institute (LSI) in Tampa, Florida, we use an arthroscopic approach to laminotomies to open up the spinal canal, without the need for general anesthesia, in an outpatient surgical setting. We do not perform laminectomies.A laminotomy is a surgical procedure that is used to relieve pressure off the spinal canal for the exiting nerve root and spinal cord, increasing the amount of space available for the neural tissue and thus releasing the nerve(s).
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Old 04-21-2008, 12:19 AM #28
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Dallaskibby,

Just so you know....I did address Kathi's post about the laminectomy off line...I did not do it on this thread....I did not recommend the laminectomy ....do not think I would recommend this place in Florida...JMO of course...
__________________
4/06 - Lumbar Fusion - L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, S1
Anterior with cages and Posterior with rods and screws.

8/17/05 - Cervical Fusion - C4-5, 5-6, 6-7 - Anterior and Posterior Fusion with plate in front and rods and screws in the rear - Corpectomy at C-4 and C-5 and microdisectomy at C6-7.

1/4/05 - Lumbar Laminectomy -L3, L4, L5, S1, S2 Obliteration of Tarlov Cyst at S2. Failed surgery!
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Old 04-21-2008, 07:14 AM #29
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Dallaskibby and Gloria,

Thanks for the information Dallas but I am with Gloria here. I do not necessarily believe in the minimally invasive procedures. And I did question my husband's PM the other day. He DID say after all my questions, that it would probably be disectomy with fusion which I am glad of for STABILITY reasons. I may have misunderstood him in the beginning when he mentioned Laminectomy but this time around he said BOTH. So, he has to meet with the OSS next...that is after his follow up with his PM. And we are sticking with the Indiana Spine Group because Dr. Sasso is one excellent OSS...hubby will be in good hands with him if and when surgery is recommended. Thanks again.
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Old 08-02-2008, 07:57 AM #30
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Default great success with DR. JHO

For all readers who read some of these negative posts about dr jho let me tell you this, I am 35 years old and have degenerative disc disease and within the last year i had L4-L5 and T2-T3 surgeries with dr jho T2-T3 being the worse with extensive spinal cord compression. This was a very dangerous surgery that would require precision surgical procedure and I opted to go with Dr. Jho because he had previously done 7, yes 7 of my fathers 11 back surgeries. He is 58 yrs old and was out in the yard digging post holes by hand for a fence he was installing yesterday and my brother whome is 33 yrs old after having L3-L4 done by Dr Jho was playing his usual 3 rounds of golf per week. Now before my surgeries I was looking at a life of misery and losing my job as a sales rep where i am on the road 12 hrs a day and I can tell you all I havent missed a day of work since my second surgery 6 months ago and my first 11 months ago. So what i am trying to say is that Dr Jho has saved all of my families lives and careers and when you have spinal surgery with any surgeon you will have serious risk of complications no matter how RENOWN they are the central nervous system at risk any time a knife slices into it. I am 35 and dr jho is in his 60's and i dont know what i will do if he ever retires being that i have hstenosis and herniations at 13 leves of my spine at the moment i really hope he starts teaching his techniques to others, but i will never trust anyone like i do dr jho.

sincerely - doing great!
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