Cervical ADR in Poland

Kanutta · #1 (**permalink**) 11-22-2006, 04:04 PM

Hello!

I have a Norwegian cervical spine forum; and some days ago I met a guy who is considering Cervical ADR in Poland; as it is not available in Norway.

He claims that the Polish surgeon has been working with the neurosurgeons at the Alpha clinic. The cost for 1 level Mobidisc at this hospital in Warzaw, is about 6ooo -7000 dollars. very cheap, considering what you have to pay in Germany

The name of the surgeon is Jan.K. Podgorski.

Someone heard of him...?

I¨ll try to insert the link to the hospital:

http://www.cskwam.mil.pl/index.php?t...3=k19&t4=1&l=a

mmglobal · #2 (**permalink**) 11-22-2006, 07:47 PM

If the cost of the prosthesis will be > $4000, their margins must be quite small. I'm not sure what to think about an operation, surgeons, staff, hospital stay, relates supplies, etc... that can be provided for 2 - 3K.

Mark

Poncho · #3 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 05:23 AM

I am all for "cost effectiveness" - however, I just wonder if this surgeon has been involved in any research and what his outcomes are.

Kanutta · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 10:07 AM

I don't know what to think of it myself either. I thought that maybe there was a slight chance that Mark had heard of him if he had been working at the Alpha clinic. But maybe he just was trained by the gurus at Alpha; like many other.

I don't want this guy to take any risks; but he seems quite dtermined to go to Poland. He's been in contact with Dr. Frank at the Alpha too; he suggests 3 level ADR; but the Polish surgeon; as well as a Norwegian too suggests only one to be necessary.

He's going to stay only 1 night at the hospital. But all the same, the costs make me wonder, Poland is eastern europe and I'm not surprised that the costs are much lower than in Germany; but anyway; it is very cheap.

All my guy know is hat the surgeon has done over 2000 neck surgeries; but he doesn't know how many of them are ADR's.

I'll speak with the patient later today; I'll encourage him to find out more before he decides what to do. He has allready been in Poland seeing the surgeon for tests and so on; and he feels conident with the doctor.

Well, thanks anyhow, I just wanted to give it a try here; i'll try to find out more myself. It is possible that I'll be going with the patient to Warzaw as an observer; and keeping an eye of him the days after the surgery. His surgery is due in a couple of weeks.

mmglobal · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2006, 03:41 PM

I'll be at the AlphaKlinik for the next few weeks... I'll see if I can learn anything. I'd be surprised if the AK would be involved in setting up competition at less than 1/2 the price that they or anyone else seems to be able to do the surgery for.

Last week, I received a FAX from a client who's been working with a 'broker' who seemed to have something special to offer. The quoted 11k Euro for lumbar disc replacement was not including some fees. Actual promised cost would actually be 17k. He felt that he had become invested in the process and was disappointed in the 'bait and switch'.

It's really a shame that as we are fighting for our lives, we have to be responsible for getting and evaluating information that is so difficult or impossible to get... then so difficult or impossible to effectively evaluate. It's a mine field and we don't really have the tools to ultimately know the best way to go. Add to it, the uncertainty of spine surgery, even in the best of circumstances.... it's really a mine field.

Mark