I'd definitely seek a second opinion. I wouldn't wait for your current
colorectal surgeon to set this up for you. I'd research on my own who in
the area also comes well recommended. This might be done by speaking with
your PCP, with any local gastroenterologist, if there's a local UOA
chapter
speak to members of that, or get a list of colorectal surgeons from every
hospital in the area and look up on pubmed what each one has published,
and
see if the hospital websites list their training, etc. Once you've found
someone promising for a second opinion, go see them, whether in your
insurance network or not. If you find the second surgeon differs from the
first, has understandable and logical reasoning, and you have a good feel
for him/her, then that will be very helpful to you. If you'd like to use
the second surgeon but he/she is not covered by your insurance, then
appeal
and appeal until you get this covered [as you likely will if you're
persistent, and you can get your PCP or gastroenterologist to sup****t
this.
You can request "expedited" decisions to your appeals if it's urgent.]
Another alternative, if you don't live in a major urban area with a
medical
school, is to travel to one of the nationally known centers to get a
second
opinion, even at your own expense. The lifetime stakes for the outcome of
whatever decision you make would seem to possibly warrant this. I've seen
many, many, people with a variety of medical or surgical situations who
benefitted dramatically by proactively seeking second or third opinions.
Good Luck!
C. Berlin
<ileoman@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:1d0c1984-40fc-496b-a138-bfeb17067013@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> About 7 yrs ago, I had a sigmoid resection surgery (at about 10 cm
> from the anus) becaus of cancer. Since then, I had several bowel
> obstructions.
>
> At the hospital, I generally had IV fluid, NG tube and pain killers,
> and then discharged a few days later. However, about a year ago, the
> emergency doctor gave me an ileostomy without my specific consent,
> while my colorectal surgeon was out of town.
>
> My colorectal surgeon, who operated on me 7 yrs ago, now tells me that
> he has found harden surgery scar tissues at my sigmoid site that has
> narrowed and may have caused my past blockages. He proposes to close
> my ileostomy and open a colostomy. In his view, he cannot surgically
> remove the scar tissues at the sigmoid site, and he cannot use stents
> to open up my sigmoid narrow passage.
>
> However, for the past few months, I have had the barium follow through
> and enema x-rays from my stomach to my anus, and the fluid flowed OK
> inside my small bowel and colon.
>
> Now, I am not sure if I should accept my surgeon's surgery proposal to
> have a colostomy because that is a big surgery, and I dont know if the
> benefit, if any, would outweigh the sugery risks.
>
> In my view, as my bowel obstruction comes about once a year, the
> hospital may open my sigmoid passage through non-surgical means (e.g.,
> pumping air).
>
> About 3 weeks ago, I asked my surgeon to get a 2nd opinion from
> another colorectal surgeon. But, he has yet to get back to me.
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