In the NYC area? Any recommendations ?

[MDemisay]

Hi all! Do you have any recommendations in the area forGamma Knife and Cyber Knife, I may not be as able to travel as I once thought. So I decided to do some research I have a bunch of information from eight years ago, but I assume a lot has changed since then .

Is this a good start?

Mike

[mandy721]

In the NY area, I am familiar with Dr. Michael Sisti ( http://www.med.nyu.edu/biosketch/rushs01) at Columbia Presbyterian Med Center, treats acoustic neuromas with both  Gamma Knife and micro-surgery.  A member of our local NYC support group had Gamma Knife treatment with Dr. Stephen Rush (http://www.med.nyu.edu/biosketch/rushs01) at NYU with good results. 

[Mickey]

Drs. Roland and Golfinos @ NYU Medical Center. Best wishes, Mickey

[Mei Mei]

I don't know about NY, but if you can get as far as Pittsburgh, Dr. Kondziolka at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.    A surgeon in our local support group in Washington went there.   This is the place to go.
Mei Mei

[mandy721]

Drs. Roland and Golfinos @ NYU Medical Center. Best wishes, Mickey

Hi Mickey,
Dr. Rush works with Drs. Roland and Golfinos. 

[Mickey]

Yes, Dr. Rush and the new Gamma Knife machine @ NYU Medical Center. Along with Drs. Roland and Golfinos and crew your probably got one of the top notch AN treatment centers in the world. They are on top of everything from W+W, Rad., Surgury, +new tech. Best wishes, Mickey

[JLR]

Mineola,LI is not to far from NYC..Dr. Jonathan Haas, Winthrop CyberKnife Center, Mineola, NY.  He has a fine team. Good Luck.

[leapyrtwins]

Not sure which of these docs does radiation, but docs repeatedly cited on the Forum in the NYC area include - Roland, Golfinos, Selesnick, & Sisti.

Jan

[MDemisay]

Jan,

Dr. Sisti did my initial resectioning (subtotal) of my AN in 2004, and the plan was to return to him should I need to do Gamma Knife.

Unfortunately, I have to do Gamma Knife now but am a little reluctant because his associate has only done 12 with CT scans with contrast and is vastly more experienced in targeting with MRI's. I am trying to find more experience with limited targeting.

 I initially met (2004) Dr. Golfinos but he wanted at the time to completely remove the tumor and leave me with 60% facial paralysis. Needless, to say I opted out of going with him. I have poor balance as a result of cutting my vestibular and no hearing in my left ear as a result of cutting my hearing nerve.

But, at this point I don't care who I have my consultation with. Just so I can get rid of the thing that rides behind my bad ear.

[pjb]

I do not have an answer but just needed to respond it appears you went to the best in NY and still had issues .. It is a little disappointing how some have good results and others do not even when treated supposedly by the best ? I am now in a W & W status due to some residual left behind and deciding on a doctor makes it so difficult with many different outcomes how do you decide who and how to treat something as important as our brains ?

Regards,

Pat

[MDemisay]

Pat,

I am taking my time with this as it's so important to me to maintain the me that is left after my first AN surgery. So I can afford to go out of state if necessary, do I want to....NO but I will if I have to!

I want the most experienced with my type of CT scan with contrast the most experienced hospital and the newest equipment. I also depending on aftercare(if necessary) am interested in a center of excellence. Because I went to the original hospital I went to in 1973, that was a mistake because while they were the best that New York at the time, they ranked 14th in 2004. I won't make that mistake again, for that, I have only myself to blame!

Dr. Sisti is one of the best, he did an excellent job with my AN resection it was 3.1 cm he debulked it to 1.4 x 0.9 cm now it has grown some to 1.8  x 1.3 cm. He says it's time for Gamma Knife, I am weighing my options......


Mike

[chloes mema]

Good luck, Mike.  Keep us posted as you have been. 

Karen

[pjb]

Pat,

I am taking my time with this as it's so important to me to maintain the me that is left after my first AN surgery. So I can afford to go out of state if necessary, do I want to....NO but I will if I have to!

I want the most experienced with my type of CT scan with contrast the most experienced hospital and the newest equipment. I also depending on aftercare(if necessary) am interested in a center of excellence. Because I went to the original hospital I went to in 1973, that was a mistake because while they were the best that New York at the time, they ranked 14th in 2004. I won't make that mistake again, for that, I have only myself to blame!

Dr. Sisti is one of the best, he did an excellent job with my AN resection it was 3.1 cm he debulked it to 1.4 x 0.9 cm now it has grown some to 1.8  x 1.3 cm. He says it's time for Gamma Knife, I am weighing my options......


Mike

Thanks Mike for your reply I was suppose to go to Dr. Sisti as per the advice of my neurologist but he did not accept my insurance and went with a team that was going to work with mine but was not happy with some of the results but cannot complain it could have been worse. Now in the W & W mode I am meeting with Dr. Golfino in March but deep in my heart I would love to go to HEI if needed but flying is stopping me maybe if and when I have to make a decision at that time I might feel differently. But I think we just have to go where the results are GREAT ...

Regards,

[Mei Mei]

I went to Dr. Selesnick at NY Weill Cornell on E 70th St.    His name was given to me by our family's long trusted ENT also at Cornell:  Dr. Lloyd Dropkin.
He was very patient, thorough and explained everything that I needed explaining.   He gave me the usual three options:  Surgery, Watch and Wait and Radiation.
Mei Mei

[Jim Scott]

Mike ~

For what it's worth: Dr. Jonathan Haas plotted and oversaw the 26 FSR treatments for my debulked AN.  My neurosurgeon teamed with Dr. Haas as part of his plan to debulk the tumor and cut off it's blood supply, then (90 days later) have it radiated (without waiting to see if might re-grow).  The plan proved highly successful.  At the time (2006) Dr. Haas was in New Haven, Connecticut but has since moved his practice to Mineola, Long Island, as JLR noted.  Should you wish to consider going to Nassau county, Long Island I can recommend Dr. Haas based on my personal experience.

Jim