Kaiser in Redwood City

[raftcommander]

Does anyone have any experience with the Kaiser center in Redwood City?  Or a Dr. Jeffery Nutik?  Son just diagnosed with AN and is using this facility.
Thanks, Penny

[Mark]

Penny,

I was in the Kaiser system in Northern CA when I was diagnosed , but was fortunate that my company also had a PPO option with CIGNA at the time and I was able to "escape" from that system. Before I left I did have a consult with Dr. Nutik ( thought his first name was steven though) and did not like him. Although I had virtually 100% Speech recognition in the AN ear he immediately said he would use the translab approach since I would probably lose the hearing anyway. I just didn't connect with him or like his attitude. I think at the time he said he had done about 400 AN's so he is certainly experienced but from reading other posters here I don't get a sense his outcomes are particularly "top of the list". If you have to stay in Kaiser, then Nutik @ redwood city is probably your only choice. I guess he would be OK , but not considered "world class" by any means. certainly when you see him I would ask him for something that lists his results in terms of total tumor removal and facial / hearing nerve preservation for his patients and see if you are comfortable with what you get. I don't know how large your son's AN is , but if less than 3 cm , then you might have the option of radiosurgery which Kaiser contracts with Stanford to do, usually with CK. You have to "push" for it, but it is an option if you do not want the surgery

Mark

[raftcommander]

Thank you, Mark,    We are tied into the Kaiser facility in Redwood City.  I will research if there is another surgeon on the rolls.  We have had great service with Kaiser in the past...3 surgeries...cancer follow ups..etc.  Hopefully, this doctor will have better results by this time.
Penny

[Mark]

Penny, your welcome, glad to be of help.

I'd be interested to hear what your opinion is of Nutik or if Kaiser does have anyone else doing AN's now in Redwood City. I would also encourage your son to explore the radiosurgery option as well if his AN is less than 3 cm. If he elects surgery, the critical element is that it involves two cranial nerves, hearing and facial movement, so you really need to have a surgeon who is very specialized and accomplished in this procedure

Best of luck to you and your son

Mark.

[linda l]

Hi Penny
The surgeon's name is Dr. Stephen Nutik and he is fantastic.   I had my AN removed at Kaiser Redwood City by Dr. Nutik 2 1/2 years ago.  He is reknowned for his work with AN surgery.  Although surgery was not fun; I was happy to get my tumor removed and have made a full recovery.  I did lose my hearing in my left ear and have adjusted.  No regrowth at my one year; one more MRI at 5 years and I am done....
Linda

[jacobson69]

Linda,

I just had retrosigmoid surgery in Kaiser Redwood city on May 13th.  I found Dr. Nutik to be a highly skilled and most excellent neurosurgeon. The nurses at Redwood City Kaiser are so caring and wonderful.  After our first interview with Dr. Nutik, which took about an hour, we were impressed and appreciative of the way he answered our millions of questions.  Very patient, understanding yet a highly qualified neurosurgeon.   He has done about 600 AN surgery, 350 of them using the retrosigmoid approach.  After the meeting, my husband believed he was a winner and I felt just the same.   I felt he had what it takes to make my surgery a successful one.   So far I am on my road to recovery and have had no major complications. I started walking a day after surgery, I have no headaches  or dizziness.   My balance is not bad at all.  I just need to keep working at it.  I have no hearing on the right side, but *I* chose to sacrifice my hearing nerve since I was already losing my hearing on that side.  I have a very slight facial weakness which is unnoticiable.  He left a little tag of tumor on my facial nerve which was in agreement to what we discussed before: to leave the facial nerve and its function intact.   In retrospect, I would have been willing to put up temporary facial paralysis and have the whole tumor removed.  However, he DID stick to the plan we discussed before.   I cannot say enough good thing about Dr. Nutik, the nurses and Kaiser.   I gave birth to my 3 kids at Kaiser and I found their care to be world class.  This time I found just the same.  Life is good and will be better in soon.

Cheer,
Hui

Retrosigm

[jacobson69]

Oh, just to let you know, the dimensions of my AN was:

3.5cm x 2.5cm x 2.7cm
Retrosigmoid on 5/13/08 with Dr. Nutik @ Redwood City Kaiser
No major complications so far and knocking on the wood!

[msswartz]

Hi,

I recently had my AN removed by Dr Stephen Nutilk in Redwood City, Kaiser.  And though he does not seem to be the most friendly person to me, he has had over 35 years of experience doing this kind of surgery.  Technically he did a good job on me.  I am just going through some of the normal but unfortunate after effects of this kind of thing.  But he said he is pretty much Kaiser, Northern Calif's Go-To guy for this kind of tumor.  He used to be the head of neurosurgery too.  He is a very serious guy and is supposed to be very good. 

Initially he was very nice, very serious, but friendly.  He encouraged me to explore the cyber-knife option with Dr Tse (pronounced Shay) and helped me to decide.  Based on the advice about my particular tumor size and location, I opted for open surgery.   The followup has been interesting.  And in all fairness I think it is effected by the personalities involved and I have been very anxious about my recovery and have probably tested his patience.   Having said that, he has always answered my follow up emails and inquiries but his answers have been short and to the point, nothing really friendly.  When I saw him for the followup, he seemed genuinely sorry for what I was going through and seemed very confident that I would recover fully in time.  It is my body and my life so I am more emotional about it.   He seems like a very good but a very business-like doctor to me.  But again, he did a very good job on me and getting the tumor out is what was important.

Michael

[LindaL]

I have recently been diagnosed with AN 2.2 cm and referred to Dr. Nutik.  My appointment is next week so any information is helpful. Am disconcerted to hear that he primarily recommends the more intrusive surgeries.   I have been researching options and would like to avoid those surgeries and try the gk or ck as less invasive.  I have lost some hearing and am beginning to experience vertigo on occasion.  Am concerned, and want to make the best, informed decision.  any thoughts welcome. thanks.
 

[sgerrard]

 I have been researching options and would like to avoid those surgeries and try the gk or ck as less invasive. 

I would let the doctor know that when you see him. Some doctors are more open to radiation as an option than others. If you find he is not, you should still be able to get a referral to a radiation oncologist, who can give you a specialist's view on how well radiation treatment might work for you. You may have to be proactive about it, though, and not just go along with what the first surgeon you talk says.

Best wishes,

Steve

[msswartz]

Hi,

When I saw Dr Nutik he did mention that "wait and see" and GK were both options for me.   And I did talk with Dr Tse about the GK approach.  We all agreed that in my particular case, the open surgery was the best route to take.  I can't say for you, but Dr. Nutik did give me room to explore other options.  And ultimately, he left the decision to me.

Best of luck.

Michael