United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Can anyone recommend any top notch surgeons? Does anyone know any in the western region? Although I was hoping to find someone on the west coast, I don't have any issues traveling out of state or to the east coast.

I have brachial plexopathy that is slowly killing me from the pain and I need to get to a top surgeon very soon. This has been going on for a year now. I have all my NCV's/EMG studies and MRI's to tote with me.

I am trying to get into see Dr. Kline right now. I've sent all my records to his office and I'm waiting to hear back. From what everyone on this board says, it sounds like he's the master of Brachial Plexus issues.

I'm also looking for other top notch surgeons in case I can't get into see him for consultation. I'd appreciate your feedback.

NeuroPosterChild

We'd originally planned to see Dr Kline/Tiel, Dr Nath & the doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. Only Mayo was willing to see John at the 2.5 month point post injury. The other doctors wanted to wait until closer to the 4th month, which we felt was later than we liked. Bottom line, we were very impressed with Mayo & since three doctors work together (each with his own area of specialty), we actually got three opinions at one time... so we cancelled the appts with the other doctors. (Since John had total avulsion of all five BP nerves, waiting wouldn't have accomplished anything anyway.)

So... please consider including Mayo (Drs Bishop, Spinner & Shin) on your list. Their website: http://www.mayoclinic.org/brachialplexu ... uries.html

They did two surgeries on John (whose accident was just over a year ago), and he can now bend his elbow & make a fist. His pain has also gotten better with the nerve regrowth. It will be another couple years before we know the full extent of recovery, but we feel good about the progress.

Good luck - you're not alone.

Ellen

Dr. Nath even came to see me to my Hospital in Houston. I soon as I got out of the hospital like a month after my accident I went to see him again and I got my surgery 3 months after the accident. Dr. Nath didn't want to wait longer than 3 months and I had my surgery when I was 7 months pregnant. Dr. Nath and Dr. Shenaq are my Doctors.

There are many good Drs on the west coast, The Univ of Wash. Medical centre has top rated Ortho and Neuro Surgeons.
Be very careful of how you select A Dr. !! Recommendations from friends and family are not always accurate, call your local "Medical Quality Control Board" And check the Dr's history.
I can't stress how important this is..There are QUACKS out there with very bad histories. I know I almost lost an arm because of one.

My 23 yr old daughter,2.75 yrs post crash as she says, had seen several drs and no one wanted to touch her because she was so long in the finding help that they felt they couldn'[t do anything for her. They kept saying lets wait and see...see..see...Dr Nath in Houston checked her out at camp in New York in August of 03 and September 26 we were having surgery in Houston because he felt there was still life in her bicep. He said he would do an emg while open and that would tell the story...either a 10 minute operation or 3 hr...took 3 hrs and were we thrilled...she has movement and strength in her muscles that she's not experienced since the accident and her emg shows all sorts of excitement...it will be a while until it builds up her strength but she works at it 24-7...one of her drs said she may as well amputate it and at that point she knew she'd better get looking............good luck! Do your research and ask your questions..There's help out there for you.

Shelley

Hi NPC,
Try emailing Lorrie from Palo Alto, CA. She uses Dr. Hentz at Stanford. Her email is lorrie.broderick@bigfoot.com. Where on the west coast are you? I just got back from surgery with Dr. Tiel on the 6th. 8 hrs of surgery on Tuesday. No external stitches, just superglue. Went to the French Quarter on Saturday. Bought a voodoo doll to be used on my old neurosurgen in orange county. Think I'll start with a pin in the left arm.
Dr. Tiel is great, he will take plenty of time with you. He will answer all your questions (I had a list of 27 questions). But because LSU is a teaching facility, and the surgeries are so long, and he spends plenty of time with you the day before, he can only see a few people a week. Thats why it takes so long to get in to see Dr. Kline/Tiel. So don't be afraid to travel. Go see Dr. Bishop, or Dr. Nath., or Dr. Beltzer, or Dr. Tiel. That way you know you won't have any regrets, and you won't have a need for a voodoo doll. By the way, I got three for ten dollars. So I have some extras just incase anyone needs one.
Good luck with your quest...Karl...

HELLO KARL, IM SO GLAD I FOUND YOU HERE. HERES OUR STORY MAYBE YOU CAN HELP. MY 11 YEAR OLD SON HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT LEFT HIM WITH A BRACHIAL PLEXUS INJURY. HE HAS BEEN REFERRED TO LSU TO DRS. TIEL AND SUMNER. I READ HERE THAT YOU ARE ALSO SEEING THIS DR. RIGHT NOW MY INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER THIS DR. AND WE ARE TRYING TO WORK OUT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET HIM THERE AND MY INSURANCE WILL COVER. IM GETTING ON IT NOW SO WE WONT HAVE ANY FURTHER DELAYS AND HOPEFULLY GET HIM SEEN ASAP. THIS IS HIS THIRD MONTH WITH THIS INJURY. WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME WE HAVE TO GET HIM THE BEST HELP IN CASE WE NEED TO RESCHEDULE HIS APPT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE? IF WE DO RESCHEDULE IS THERE A REALLY LONG WAITING PERIOD? THIS IS ALL NEW TO US AND ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE US WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE TREATMENT YOU ARE GETTING THERE? PLEASE E MAIL ME AT SOFTBALLMOM09@HOTMAIL.COM WITH ANY INFO YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANKS, PRISCILLA MORGAN

Dr. Kline >>>>hi could you give me this doctors address and phone number........thanxs pebbles from tasmania

Pebbles

We have a Medical Resource page and on it are doctors from all over the world and a link to the questionnaire each physician submitted.
http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/

Here is the information you need for Dr.Kline
http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/lsu-contact.html

KathM@ubpn.org

Hi Pebbles
It might be worth asking Dr Kline if there's a tbpi specialist nearer home who he would recommend, I know he has done this for other people. It might be worth contacting the author of this thread, Jamie, about his surgeon in Sydney http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... hread=9101
I know Jamies surgery has gone ok but it was very recent, he hasn't come back and updated this thread yet. Hopefully he and Gina could help you find someone a bit nearer Tazzie.
Good luck :0) Jen NZ