Cleveland Clinic just called. Wanted to schedule surgery for next week!!

[KarenK]

Next week was a shocker! I pushed it back a bit. I’m scheduled to head to CC 8/11/23. I expected it would be scheduled in a few months, two months at the minimum.

The person who called as she was very terse at first, then got very irritated when I asked about their thoughts on my medical history… prior craniotomy for an aneurysm at the Mayo Clinic, and given me an image at that time showing the possible start of another aneurysm which I am supposed to be watching. No one in my area does the type of test needed. An MRI or MRA doesn’t work as the screws/plates block out the image.

Her response was we don’t deal with that, that’s another department. (So they just totally ignore your medical history?!) Then she said, I suppose we could do a CT. I already sent them a CT angiogram of the head that totally overlooked a 3cm cyst on my brainstem. It’s not a serious test for aneurysms. I was then told to go to the Mayo Clinic or the next big city in your state! The Mayo doesn’t take my insurance.

So it appears surgery at the Cleveland Clinic means any possible neurological or other concerns will be ignored.

Wow! So not what I expected. Definitely not at all like the Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic was so impressive, smooth as glass even between depts. They sent me to have my heart fully checked out even though there were no known issues… an issue with my neck that I never mentioned, but they noticed and had it checked out.

Dr. Unai would be the surgeon, “he does OHS, TAVR only on a second surgery” and “you’ll decide on the valve when you meet with him”. From a quick Google search, Dr. Unai is big the Ozaki Procedure, travels around speaking at medical conventions and he’s involved with the studies I’ve seen.

I image I’ll get the push for the Ozaki Procedure. Don't think I want it. Who has had the Ozaki Procedure done instead of a new aortic valve?

 

[Dunwanted]

Hello Karen, i had my OHS for AVR in Cleveland Clinic last year on november 2022, so i will share a bit of my experience CC is huge i found it my experience very similar like you say that each department only handles their part and dont really have all the information also i belive they have separate staff that does all the calls and normally does not even know whats going on, they just call to schedule meetings, operations etc.

with what i have said i still believe CC is a great option for surgery, mine went smoothly and i got a mechanical valve, my surgeon did try to push for a ross procedure and they also talked about the ozaki but not deeply but i had a cardiologist do a full check on my medical situation and history in CC before the surgeon saw me and he did explain all the options and told me which he believed would be the best options for me i found him to be very straight foward, logical and provided excellent non biased information which i really liked, he was Dr. Brian P. Griffin.

I do think that CC will do all the testing while youre onsite before the surgery and they wont overlook any medical issue that will intefere, affect or will be affected with the surgery itself.

 

[KarenK]

Hello Karen, i had my OHS for AVR in Cleveland Clinic last year on november 2022, so i will share a bit of my experience CC is huge i found it my experience very similar like you say that each department only handles their part and dont really have all the information also i belive they have separate staff that does all the calls and normally does not even know whats going on, they just call to schedule meetings, operations etc.

with what i have said i still believe CC is a great option for surgery, mine went smoothly and i got a mechanical valve, my surgeon did try to push for a ross procedure and they also talked about the ozaki but not deeply but i had a cardiologist do a full check on my medical situation and history in CC before the surgeon saw me and he did explain all the options and told me which he believed would be the best options for me i found him to be very straight foward, logical and provided excellent non biased information which i really liked, he was Dr. Brian P. Griffin.

I do think that CC will do all the testing while youre onsite before the surgery and they wont overlook any medical issue that will intefere, affect or will be affected with the surgery itself.

Hello, I appreciate your response. Since I wrote that post there have been some changes. When I setup my portal with CC last night, I noticed that the doctor's name was not Dr. Unai. It said Dr. J. Umana so I tried to research the doctor. He is brand new at the CC, and in this country. He from Bogota, Colombia. I found very little and conflicting info. on him and in the quality of medical care in Colombia vs the U.S.

Since the rush for my surgery was to fill his schedule and due to my medical need I cancelled the surgery this morning. I wasn't feeling comfortable with this surgeon and 3 weeks was a little too quick for me.

How would you feel about this surgeon? Would you use him?

 

[Dunwanted]

Hello, I appreciate your response. Since I wrote that post there have been some changes. When I setup my portal with CC last night, I noticed that the doctor's name was not Dr. Unai. It said Dr. J. Umana so I tried to research the doctor. He is brand new at the CC, and in this country. He from Bogota, Colombia. I found very little and conflicting info. on him and in the quality of medical care in Colombia vs the U.S.

Since the rush for my surgery was to fill his schedule and due to my medical need I cancelled the surgery this morning. I wasn't feeling comfortable with this surgeon and 3 weeks was a little too quick for me.

How would you feel about this surgeon? Would you use him?

Hello karen, i would need more research to know if i would use him or not.
For example in my case i was assigned Dr. Elgharaby he has around 10 -20 year of experience and hes from Egypt, i would not personally feel confortable doing my surgery with someone who has little experience.

 

[slipkid]

...i would not personally feel confortable doing my surgery with someone who has little experience.

Great advice.

I had a friend who went in for a routine outpatient procedure (I forget the medical name for it but it involves a Dr putting some kind of tool up your nose and scraping crap out of your sinuses).

His regular ear/nose/throat Dr had many years experience doing it. The procedure was scheduled but shortly b4 it happened my friend had to cancel it because of something going on at home, might have been as trivial as his wife wanting to go on a trip.

When he went to reschedule turned out his regular Dr was retiring. Another Dr in the office was recommended to take over his care and do the procedure. During which she KILLED him. Went too far up in the sinuses and broke the bone beneath the brain. From what I heard later during the lawsuit phase there she should have known exactly how far to go and when to stop but she failed to do so. Then we learned that he was only the 7th patient she performed this on. Maybe if she was more experienced he'd still be alive.

So I think asking a Dr how many times they've performed whatever it is you are going to go through is a good idea, and if you are not comfortable with the answer - or anything else relating to questions you might ask, it's time to get another Dr.

 

[KarenK]

Great advice.

I had a friend who went in for a routine outpatient procedure (I forget the medical name for it but it involves a Dr putting some kind of tool up your nose and scraping crap out of your sinuses).

His regular ear/nose/throat Dr had many years experience doing it. The procedure was scheduled but shortly b4 it happened my friend had to cancel it because of something going on at home, might have been as trivial as his wife wanting to go on a trip.

When he went to reschedule turned out his regular Dr was retiring. Another Dr in the office was recommended to take over his care and do the procedure. During which she KILLED him. Went too far up in the sinuses and broke the bone beneath the brain. From what I heard later during the lawsuit phase there she should have known exactly how far to go and when to stop but she failed to do so. Then we learned that he was only the 7th patient she performed this on. Maybe if she was more experienced he'd still be alive.

So I think asking a Dr how many times they've performed whatever it is you are going to go through is a good idea, and if you are not comfortable with the answer - or anything else relating to questions you might ask, it's time to get another Dr.

My issue with asking a dr. is trusting that they will they tell you the truth. They may have motivations to overstate or mislead you. I have been mislead on more than one occasion in the past.

 

[slipkid]

My issue with asking a dr. is trusting that they will they tell you the truth. They may have motivations to overstate or mislead you. I have been mislead on more than one occasion in the past.

Me too. Sometimes because of just Dr failure to really understand the issue they are confronted with. Other times because of inflated egos who KNOW they DON'T KNOW but don't care what happens to the patient period. Other times because of some kind of personal bias. I could go on and on but no point. Still it helps to ask them things and try to gauge their answers - if they are the type of egotistical ******* who feel they are God and beyond question thus get annoyed or condenscending in their responses then it is time to run for your life IMO....

 

[Croooser]

He is well educated and experienced, although most of his experience was in Columbia. Also, well published. If you look him up on Linkedin, you can get a good summary:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-pablo-umaña-mallarino/es
HTH

 

[Eva]

So I think asking a Dr how many times they've performed whatever it is you are going to go through is a good idea, and if you are not comfortable with the answer - or anything else relating to questions you might ask, it's time to get another Dr.

You and all of us should always remember that we are the bosses! The doctors are our employees…we and our insurance are paying their salaries!
I interviewed three surgeons before my surgery and boldly asked them how many surgeries of the kind I needed they performed.
Ask him also if resident surgeons or experienced ones will be present in the operating room.