ANA Discussion Forum
Useful Information => Physicians => Topic started by: klm on May 15, 2008, 07:34:54 pm
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Who would you recommend to do middle fossa for a 1.8 cm AN at House Ear Clinic? Is there anyone you would NOT recommend? What about Dr Brackman or Dr.Slattery or Dr. House?
I have to decide very soon!
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klm,
Dr. Slattery did my middle fossa in May 07 (my AN was 10mm). I was very happy with him. Dr. Brackman is renown as the expert in AN microsurgery. Dr. House is well known too. I would say all 3 are good. One thing to ask about too, is which neurosurgeon will work with them. Dr. Schwartz is the neurosurgeon who works at the House Clinic. Sometimes the House doctors will also use Dr. Hitzeberger, another neurosurgeon. He is also very good, but there was a thread on the forum, where someone's insurance wouldn't pay for Dr. Hitzeberger.
My personal observation was that Dr. Slattery and Schwartz were younger than the rest. A friend of mine who also went to House Clinic, told me younger is better - steadier hands... however, repetition, experience and number of surgeries done probably counts for something too....
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Dr. House himself is getting up there! .. and I think he is only very part time now...
Dr Hits. and Brackmann are getting up there too ... but I did talk to one person who did have Dr. Hits the "steady hand test" and he past with flying colors... ;D
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Dr. House himself is getting up there!
I heard that the "original" Dr. House doesn't do surgeries anymore - but his son (obviously a younger man) does.
Jan
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Hi klm,
Yes, Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Hitselberger are getting up in years. Dr. Brackmann turned 70, I believe this year. I received a Christmas card from him and he said he has no intentions of retiring, he loves what he does and as long as he can help others he will continue to do so (not his exact quote). I chose experience, not age. Both of these doctors have worked together for over 40 years and they can probably finish each others sentences. They were recommended to me by one of their former patients that I met at an AN meeting. It was the best decision I have ever made. You have to be comfortable with whoever you choose. Talk to more than one doctor and feel them out. Ask questions until you are satisfied with their answers and then make your decision. Please do not be in a rush, this is a once in a life time decision. I wish you the best. Ann
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I just wanted to clarify my earlier post about Dr. House - for what it's worth.
Ann so kindly told me that the "original" Dr. House is deceased. So obviously he isn't doing surgeries anymore.
But I know that someone who consulted with HEI recently told me that there is a Dr. House there - a relative of the "original" - who does surgery. And he's younger than both Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Hitselberger.
Thanks Ann for letting me know my mistake :)
Jan
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Dr. John House, son of Dr. Howard House, the founder of House Ear Clinic/Institute, performed my trans-lab surgery in January 2008. I cannot say enough about the entire experience I had with the House personnel, St. Vincent Medical Center, and the Seton Hall Guest Center. It was absolutely amazing; everyone was very professional and compassionate. I am extremely thankful that my doctor here in central New Jersey said he unconditionally recommends House Clinic to all his acoustic neuroma patients. I would go back there in a heartbeat ... even if I had to WALK from New Jersey to Los Angeles!!!!
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Hi, JerseyGirl2 -
getting off topic here, but wanted to say welcome to the forum :)
I'm glad your surgery was so successful. I also see that you have a BAHA that you got in June. I got mine in June too ;D
Although I have the Divino, I can't say enough good things about it. Hope you like your Intenso just as much.
I also hope you stick around the forum. We're a good group to join.
Jan
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i had translab at House and have to travel to LA for the procedure and I have not regretted my decision - they are professional and excellent! I had Brackmann and DO NOT let his age fool you as he is sharp, focused and confident. He is an expert in this field, doing both surgeries and lectures. He actually don't do the surgery all by himself, he usually have a team to back him up, e.g a neurosurgeon which in my case was schwartz, an internist and a fellow. St Vincent is great too, I got a thread here about my surgery experience at house but you can PM me if you have any questions. hope this helps and good luck!
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I had middle fossa surgery at House in November of 2005. My surgeons were Dr Brackmann and Dr Hitselberger. I had excellent care and thought they were both terrific. Both are charming with wonderful bedside manner. I still correspond with Dr Brackmann who promptly answers any concerns and reviews the MRIs I have had post op.
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I've been reading this forum for awhile now. I have learned a lot of information. Thanks to all for sharing. I, too, am looking into going to House. Does anyone have experience with Dr. Friedman, Marck Swhartz, or Michael Stefen?
Thanks for the help in one difficult decision making process.
Deb
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Hi Debra and Welcome to the site!
I haven't had surgery yet, but am going out to LA for a translab in Nov w/ Dr. Friedman and Schwartz! There are a number of people here who had Dr. Friedman, most recent being Nancy L and Kathleen5306...you can look up posts by them to see their experiences.
Good luck w/ your decision - I just made mine very recently after six months of research and thought,
Cindy
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Cindy,
Wow, what a coincidence. I'm glad to know that someone else is using the same doctors. I'm hoping to have my surgery soon, so I need to make a final decision. I have a phone consult next Tuesday with Skull Based Institute and am hoping to learn more about the fully endoscopic procedure that they do there. I'm really leaning toward HEI. Dr. Friedman was fabulous on the phone.
Thanks for also giving me names of others that have used Dr. Friedman. I really appreciate it.
Let's keep in touch. Who knows, maybe we will be in LA around the same time. Where are you located?
Oh..thanks for the welcome.
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Hi Deb,
I just wanted to pop in to say that I had retrosigmoid surgery on 8-6-08 with Dr. Friedman and Dr. Schwartz. Dr. Michael Stefan is the internist who I saw for my pre-op and follow-up visits. They are all wonderful doctors. Dr. Friedman is as great in person as he is on the phone. Feel free to PM me with any questions.
Nancy L
Hi klm,
Though I can't help you with any info on a middle fossa in particular, I can say that my experience with House Clinic in general and St. Vincent's Hospital was all great.
You could try a search on the forum with "House Clinic"+ "middle fossa" - and I see you've already heard from OTO.
I found it helped me a great deal to speak with others who had my surgeons and/or the same approach before my surgery. Please feel free to PM me if I can help in any way.
Nancy L
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Hi Nancy,
I will send you a PM. Thanks for the opportunity to learn from your experiences.
Wow. Not even a month and you are up and posting on the forum. That is encouraging.
Thanks.
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Debra,
I also had a great experience with Dr. Friedman, Dr. Swhartz and Dr. Stefen. I could not have been happier. One year ago today, I had my AN removed (4 mm x 10 mm). Within a week I was able to balance on one leg again. It was amazing. I was back driving at about 4 weeks and feeling my self again by 6 weeks. By February of last year I was back snow sking. I would say I'm 100% just without hearing in one ear. :) There were no long lasting effects of the tumor or surgery.
Chris
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This is so wonderful to hear. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It sure helps the rest of us. Congrats on such a speedy recovery.
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I have just been diagnosed with NA with a 2.5 cm which extends into the right ear canal. I am so comforted to hear about Dr. Brackmann at HOUSE as that was my first referral and I am scheduled for surgery. Which hospital did you attend while in LA?
The information I have gathered from this forum has made such a difference. Thank you to everyone who has posted on everything.
LHarper
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I have a tentative date at House in November. I'm also considering Skull Based, but leaning toward House. When is your surgery at House?
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Hey, Debra, what is your tentative date? That would be great to get to meet you in LA - of course, sorry it has to be under such extreme conditions as this surgery.
Welcome to you, LHarper! When is your surgery scheduled for? Is Dr. Brackman doing it? If so, you will be at St. Vincent's w/ the rest of us House people. Let us know!
Donna, you mentioned some helpful info about Seton and LA to Cheri...can you share that with me also, please? Would love any info I can get - I'll be out there soon after Cheri. Thanks - and by the way, what a story it is that you have! So glad you found your way to treatment and didn't listen to your Canadian doc!
Cindy
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Cindy, Thank you for your greeting!
After much research, I will have translab surgery on October 15th with Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Schwartz at HEC in Los Angeles. I have 2.5 cm entering the right ear canal so I will definitely loose my hearing, however, I am not opting for the Baha.
The information on this site and the time and effort from all participants is very helpful. I thank you and will be reporting my experience, I'm sure with all good news, in a couple of weeks.
Best wishes to everyone.
Linda
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Hi There,
I had my surgery in 2001 at House with Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Hitselberger. I had Dr. Hitse do the steady hand test then and it was steady as could be.
I was very pleased with St. Vincents, the doctors (all of them).
Kate
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Just a comment on Cheri's note that a "descendant of the original Dr. House" practices at House -- that's Dr. John House, son of the founder, Dr. Howard House. He performed my translab procedure this past January and is a wonderful surgeon and individual. There's an interview on YouTube with Dr. Howard House -- conducted when he was in his 80s -- which details the early history of acoustic neuroma research and surgery. It's quite interesting and will make you very thankful that you didn't have an acoustic neuroma "back in the day."
Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
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I had middle fossa surgery at House Clinic in mid-June. Drs. Hitselberger and Luxford did my surgery. They were EXCELLENT... and my experience with other patients staying at Seton Guest Center was that any of the doctors are world-class.
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All - I had translab with Dr. Brackmann and Dr. Schwartz on October 15th and everything went just as everyone on this site said it would. I was home from St. Vincent's in five days and my balance is mostly returned, and I feel good. Lost my hearing in my right ear and do not have plans for a BAHA at this time (I reserve the right to change my mind :).
I live in the Los Angeles area and am so grateful that the best was in my back yard.
Linda
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Hi Linda,
Over in this quiet little corner of the forum, it seems you have posted about going to House, then had surgery on Oct 15, and are now a postie well on the way to full recovery. Congratulations! It seems a little late now, but I will say it anyway: welcome to the forum, and glad you joined us. :)
Steve
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I just had middle fossa done at House last week by Drs. Friedman, Schwartz, Stefan and Seamon (sp?). I was a "watch-n-waiter" for 5 years and researched the d***ens out of my treatment options. My MRIs went all over the place and I had interviewed numerous doctors in the porcess. I have to say the experience I had at House/ St. Vincent's/ Seton Hall was way beyond what I had hoped for or expected! I can't imagine having made a better choice!
I have never felt so well-cared for in a medical environment. The St. Vincent's hospital staff from the best nurses to Daniel our physical therapist to Nina, to Nancy, to everyone we came in contact with, the doctors, especially Dr. Friedman whom I now consider a personal friend (he even emailed Kelly and me last night saying he missed us), were absolutely the BEST! The thing I would say about their "program" is that it is all very, very well mapped out. One can definitely tell they do constant process/procedure review in a group setting to improve patient outcomes and I really appreciate that. The testing, the pre-op, the operating room and technology, the ICU, the post-op, the food, the nursing, the PT, the amount of personal interaction betweeen patient and doctor was obviously very, very carefully orchestrated. Everyone involved were specialists in their trades.
Even the maintenance staff at the Seton Guest Center where my wife was staying during my surgery were great. Nobody on that campus looked at me funny as I wobbled around for a day or two because they had seen it a million times. Just that she felt close to my hospital room being on the same campus comforted her and the guest room really was a great transition for us after the hospital stay.
I would highly recommend the team of Drs. Friedman, Schwartz, Stefan, and Seamon for anyone with an AN! Someone said you only have brain surgery once and I echo that sentiment. Do whatever it takes to get to House. We flew from the St. Louis area to LA and had all very smooth transfers, very convenient. The post-op flight back was no prob. The toughest part of going out there was making sure our kids were well-cared for and emotionally secure. In retrospect, I think it would have been tougher on them if I had attempted to do this surgery locally...
I could write all day long about all of my experiences at House but if anyone wants to PM me to make arrangements to talk about it I would be more than happy to.
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Steve,
I certainly agree with your assessment of the House experience. I have never felt so well taken care of in my life. These folks know what they're doing and I will always be grateful to my otolaryngologist here in New Jersey for telling me that was the place I should go. This is not intended to dis-credit any of the other wonderful AN surgeons in the country. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and confident with your decision of both treatment type and who's going to do it. There are so many factors involved, and obviously lots of folks on this forum are comfortable and confident with the other places and doctors they've selected.
Catherine (JerseyGirl2)
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AMEN. I couldn't agree more. There are SO, SO many variables that play into this type of decision and each person needs to consider those for themselves. House may not be the best decision for every individual, but for me I have no doubt it was.
Steve
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Hi Steve,
I, too, was very happy to read about your wonderful experience at House. I had the same surgical team perform my retrosigmoid surgery in August of this year. I couldn't have been more pleased with the skill and professionalism of Drs. Friedman, Schwartz and Stefan.
I think one of the reasons people feel so strongly about Dr. Friedman is that he does continue a relationship with his patients, whether it be professional, personal, or in many cases, both. I am personally very happy that I chose him as part of my surgical team.
There is so much for AN patients to consider when deciding on a treatment and medical team, and it is a very personal choice. I agree with Catherine that "the most important thing is to feel comfortable and confident with your decision of both treatment type and who's going to do it." And though there are many other great AN surgeons at other facilities around the country, I absolutely share your enthusiasm for these doctors and the House/St. Vincent's experience.
Wishing you all the best in your recovery,
Nancy L