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Author Topic: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?  (Read 4879 times)

cathyroe

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Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« on: February 12, 2017, 07:31:29 pm »
Has anyone any experience with Hrayr K. Shahinian and the Skull base institute? They advertise cutting edge surgery for acoustic neuroma endosmotically! I wonder why there isn't discussion (that I can find) about this on our forum? I searched his name and got a lot of "biography", etc., but no one that I could find has had this alternative and much less invasive surgery.
Here is the web site
http://www.skullbaseinstitute.com/
What do you all think? Sounds better than open brain surgery, that's for sure.
Cathy
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11/02/12  Diagnosed with AN  11mm X 5mm
05/29/13  MRI reports no change, stable
11/20/13  MRI reports 13mm X 7mm X5mm
5/20/14 MRI reports 14mm x 8 mm x 6 mm
7/29/14 GK at UPMC Lunsford. Now a Postie Toastie
1/14/15 Six Month MRI growth. 16mm X 8 mm
11/09/15  16 mm X 9 mm
9/15/16   17 mm x 11 mm x 8

ANSydney

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2017, 07:48:57 pm »
Dr Shahinian's licence has been revoked ( https://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=23050.0 )

I liked his outcomes with endoscopic surgery, but it looks like it was not exactly true.
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sharonov

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2017, 10:40:26 pm »
AN Sydney is correct, his license was revoked.  I looked into him back when I was watch-and-wait, in 2009.  He was going to charge me $60,000 for the surgery--he was not approved by Medicare so it would be out-of-pocket.  Also, the doctors at an AN convention I attended were unanimous in their hatred and scorn for Shahinian.  From what I gather, sometimes he did a great job with very few side effects--sometimes.  Other times there were big problems.  So it's probably a good thing you don't have to make a decision about him.
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cathyroe

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2017, 11:19:26 am »
Wow, thanks for the info. I thought it sounded a little too good to be true. You have to wonder, though, with technology moving as fast as it does, why are these surgeries the same as they were even 5 years ago? No one even uses a cell phone from 5 years ago! I got Gamma knife almost 3 years ago, and I hope not... but am preparing..may be in the 3-4% that might be the unsuccessful. I'm now looking at surgeons and was hoping someplace like House ..the best in the world...would have some advancements from when I was researching surgery 5 years ago.
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11/02/12  Diagnosed with AN  11mm X 5mm
05/29/13  MRI reports no change, stable
11/20/13  MRI reports 13mm X 7mm X5mm
5/20/14 MRI reports 14mm x 8 mm x 6 mm
7/29/14 GK at UPMC Lunsford. Now a Postie Toastie
1/14/15 Six Month MRI growth. 16mm X 8 mm
11/09/15  16 mm X 9 mm
9/15/16   17 mm x 11 mm x 8

ANSydney

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2017, 04:07:59 pm »
Speaking of the future, I particularly like MRI guided focused ultrasound. Like gamma knife, but without the radiation hazards. Not used for AN yet, but its only a matter of time.

Actually anything MRI guided is the way to go; MRI guided surgery or MRI guided robotic surgery.

Finally, some drug has got to come along that shrinks them.

All well in the future, but one of them has got to become the predominate treatment mode within 10 years. Then looking back at drilling a hole in the head or intentionally exposing someone to radiation has got to be looked at as barbaric.
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cathyroe

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2017, 04:14:32 pm »
Yes... if only we could hold out long enough for "the future".
Logged
11/02/12  Diagnosed with AN  11mm X 5mm
05/29/13  MRI reports no change, stable
11/20/13  MRI reports 13mm X 7mm X5mm
5/20/14 MRI reports 14mm x 8 mm x 6 mm
7/29/14 GK at UPMC Lunsford. Now a Postie Toastie
1/14/15 Six Month MRI growth. 16mm X 8 mm
11/09/15  16 mm X 9 mm
9/15/16   17 mm x 11 mm x 8

sharonov

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2017, 05:23:45 pm »
I just googled "Endoscope for AN surgery" and came up with several sites that indicate it is being done.  I think Friedman at Keck may be using an endoscope sometimes.  For all I know, Dr. Schwarts might have used one on me!  One article I pulled up showed that it works very well on some tumors, depending on the location, and not on others.  I did see in my surgical report that no retractors were used (to push my brain aside) though they were there just in case.  I remember Shahinian saying that retractors caused the healing process to be much longer. 
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ANSydney

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Re: Dr. Shahinian endoscopic surgery?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2017, 05:28:29 pm »
There's fully endoscopic surgery and endoscopic assisted. They are different, with fully endoscopic drilling a smaller hole in the skull.
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