[Maria]

Sorry to disappoint re recommendations. I too am a WC client having used my future medical benefits since 1983. Mostly I didn't start utilizing them until my first surgery in '89 and then again with 2nd lumbar surgery in '92 and again starting up in '98 and forward as I needed further medical management (notes for time missed from work by Primary Treating Physician/OSS) and then Pain Management.

I managed to get opinions re further surgery intially thru Mark with Dr.Bertagnoli abroad, then WC picked up on this and sent me to UCSF for the ADR trials with the then Chief of Orthopedics and then to Dr.Delamarter and Dr.Regan I paid for the consultation for myself.

The clincher recommedation for surgery (hybrid surgery with fusion at L5S1 and ADR at L4) was with the Neurosurgeon in La Jolla and I have to find the medical records to see who he was as I still cannot recall.

I didn't have surgery and WC has been pushing to do Medicare Set Aside or settle out completely for cost of surgery plus $1000.. we both know how far that would take me.

Perhaps you should consider getting an opinion from abroad and/or an opinion where you don't use your WC insurance and pay cash for just to hear or see what possibilities are out there for you...

Surely you've been reading here about the cervical surgeries Dr.Bertagnoli is doing abroad.. and perhaps you're saying "but I don't have this type of money" .. yes, well that's my case as well hence the decision to settle out with WC or continue to have them drag their feet with treatment authorization and so forth.. the system has been clamping down since 2005 and now it's like pulling a leg off to get them to authorize anything.

So good luck and hope someone will make a recommendation you think will be helpful to you. Your 2nd post gave some pertinent information. Sorry for the failed surgery .. and hope you can find someone that will work with the configuration you have currently and/or do whatever might help it out.. re the doctors we suggested that's just each of our own experiences seeing these doctors or those that did have surgery with them and may have had varying degrees of success. If you read the surgical part of the forum you will find people reporting on their surgeries/surgeons and how they did at various increments in time.