New member - surgery

[pb]

I have just been identified with a 1.9 cm tumor on the left side. I have talked with a surgeon and have surgery scheduled for January 25. I talked with the surgeon and he has only done around 100 NA operations in Madison, WI at University Hospitals. He does about 1 per week. My question is - is this enough experience???  After using this web site, to educate myself, what he shared  about the surgery and procedure - what he shared was the same as information on the web site. I guess I get back around to is 100 enough?

I greatly appreciate your comments and input. I am awed by how informed and educated you all are and that has been so very helpful to me. I must admit that I am scared stiff. Still am having trouble thinking about brain surgery!

I thank you for your comments and help. Paula

[Jim Scott]

Hello - and welcome, Paula ~

I'm sorry to learn of another person having to deal with an acoustic neuroma but I'm very glad you found the ANA website, decided to register and post an 'introduction'. 

You'll be receiving many welcomes and some pretty good advice in the posts that will follow this one.  As for your doctor's AN removal experience, 100 seems a tad 'light' but is probably the minimum needed to call a surgeon 'experienced' in AN removals, which is a very demanding operation. 

My neurosurgeon had over 30 years experience with AN removals and did a splendid job.  I would ask your surgeon about his AN patient's post-op experiences.  As you have probably learned, AN removals can go well (the tumor is successful removed) but the patient may experience lingering, often frustrating complications.  The operation's results cannot be guaranteed but your surgeon should be well aware of the risks and be able to tell you how he intends to minimize those risks.  This is what my neurosurgeon did (in answer to my questions about post-op headaches, imbalance and facial paralysis).  He was successful in helping me avoiding the problems I was concerned about and I'll always be thankful to him for that. 

The doctors experience is very important but so is his empathy with you, the patient.  You should feel comfortable and secure with this surgeon opening up your skull and removing a tiny tumor without causing a host of other problems, later.  Many surgeons have performed this operation successfully over the years and I trust your doctor is one of them. 

Please feel free to post as often as you feel necessary and to ask any question you may have.  We're open 24/7 and we know where you are, emotionally, because we've been there.

Jim

[Cheryl R]

Paula.  Welcome to the forum and a group who knows what a new person is going thru.          I am in Iowa and many of us have gone to the University of Iowa and Dr Bruce Gantz.      Who is your Madison dr?            A neurotologist who was a fellow at Iowa is now there.        Dr Sam Gubbel. He was in on one of my surgeries and seems very good.    I have NF2 so have had tumors and surgery on both sides.       There is another gal who is having her surgery at Madison.       Sobes is her id name.      She may be able to be of help too.          100 is getting to be a pretty good number if done on a regular basis and not over a very long time period.              Ask us what ever questions you have.
                                                                    Cheryl R                    

[Pooter]

Paula,

Welcome to the forum!  I'm with Jim thinking that the experience level of this particular doctor seems a bit light.  Doing some quick math, if he's done about 100 and he does about "1 per week" then he's only been doing AN surgeries for 2 years?  Or, is it that he does them less often than 1 per week?

I don't know this doctor or anything about his/her experience, so please don't mistake my comments for being negative about him personally.  It would just seem that his experience is lighter than others if you break down what he's told you.  I would investigate that further if you're concerned about it.

As Jim said, it's paramount that YOU feel comfortable with the doctor.  Secondarily, but equally as important, is their experience level of doing this type of delicate, long procedure (AN surgery).

Just some thoughts that came to mind and to welcome you, once again, to the forum.

Regards,
Brian

[pb]

The doctor is Sam Gubbel and he is a "younger" doctor. I'm sure it is the doctor Cheryl R mentioned in her note. He did some of his studies at Iowa. He even mentioned in our interview his age could be a factor for some people. He plans a restosigmoid and said there was a 40 to 50% of saving the hearing I have now, which is only at 30%. He also said there would be no reason not to be back to work in 4 weeks. I am a elementary teacher and from what I've read on the site that seems quite optimistic. I would love that, don't get me wrong, it seems however a longer recoperation time is more common. Again, thank you for all your help. 

[loose screws (tightened)]

Welcome. You found us.

As said earlier, "only if your comfortable". It wouldn't hurt to seek other opinions for type of surgery and number/frequency of surgeries performed. I just had middle fossa 21 days ago from one of the best surgeons in the country. Unfortunately I lost my hearing and have delayed facial paralysis and will not be returning to work for another 5 weeks at the earliest. Dr's orders. There's no guarantees but you need to be confident in your Dr's expertise with ANs.

Good luck.
Mike

[leapyrtwins]

Hi, Paula and welcome to the forum.

I just sent you a PM.

Jan

[Cheryl R]

Yes Dr Gubbel did his 2 yr fellowship at Iowa before coming to WI in July of 2008.  I had my  last surgery in April of 2008.     At Iowa he did all the open and shut of the ANs along with am sure help in the cochlear implants and other surgeries.      How many of just the ANs I am not sure at his current location.      Dr Gantz did the tumor removal but they are done approx 60 a year at Iowa so he was involved in seeing a great number of them.          He seemed very concerned over patients when I saw him.          Gantz was also one who said you can go back to work at 4 weeks and then would give more time when we asked for more.          I would guess you would have to just talk enough to where you felt comfortable with him.          Part of how it goes is tumor location and size and how it has affected nerves already which is not known till surgery is done.         Iowa does all their ANs with just the neurotologists.     The fellow and Gantz.           Let me know if you have any more questions.      All i can say is I think Dr Gubbel  was good for my care.                                Cheryl R

[Tamster]

Hi Paula,
Welcome to the forum. It's a great place to be when you have such a difficult decision to make. Others have addressed your concern about the experience of the doctor you have found. So I thought I'd respond to your comment about being scared stiff. I found that once I had found the right doctor, my fear and anxiety decreased hugely. I also found some cd's that were designed to help someone prepare for surgery and I found them to be tremendously helpful. If that sounds like something that might be helpful to you, PM me and I'll gladly share the link.

Tammy

[jaylogs]

Good luck on your surgery...I personally went with someone who has literally done 1000's of these things. To me, experience was a huge factor in deciding who was gonna root around in my head.  There are a lot of great doctors out there, so it might be a good thing to get more opinions from others while you wait on for the surgery. Then, after all that if it still feels right for you, go ahead with your original decision.  I think you'll find that's the common thread to everyone on here, they went with the one that felt just right for them.  I wish you luck and keep us posted on how it goes.  This is also a great place to vent!
Jay

[leapyrtwins]

Since Paula hasn't updated this thread, I thought I'd take the liberty of doing so.

I referred Paula to my neurotologist, Dr. Robert Battista, a few weeks ago and after meeting with him, she has decided on GK.  Her procedure is scheduled for 1/13/10.

Hopefully she'll return to the forum to update us after her treatment.  If she doesn't, I'll try to remember to update you.

Jan

[jaylogs]

Thanks for the update Jan, I am glad she went and got another opinion and I hope it was one she felt better with! That one that did just one procedure a week made me a little nervous!
Jay

[leapyrtwins]

One should always have a strong comfort level with the doctors who treat them - whether the treatment is radiation or surgery, AN-related or not.

It just makes things so much easier.

Jan