Second Opinion Hospital Suggestions

Hello All,

I currently am looking for a second opinion in my area. I live in the greater Philadelphia area and have narrowed it down between University of Penn Hospital and Jefferson Hospital. I am currently a patient at Christiana Hospital but am seeking a second opinion. I have a 4cm AVM on the right side of my brain that has already been treated with cyberknife radiation but during the 2 year wait for the radiation to hopefully close the AVM down I am considering this second opinion. Does anyone know of any good hospitals in my area or have you been to one of the ones I mentioned above and have had a good experience with them? Thank you so much!

Alyssa

Alyssa,

You can get a second opinion from Dr. Spetzler at the Barrow Nuerological Institute. He is located in Arizona but he has a mail in option. You can mail your films to him and pay $100.00, he will respond back within 48 hours with recommendations.

A little about me, i had one nuerosurgen tell me that my AVM was unoperable, so i went ahead and scheduled for Gamma knife, but the week before i got a second opinion where he said that he felt it was operable. I that point i knew that Dr. Spetzler was one of the best Nuerosurgeons for AVM’s so i went ahead and sent my films to him and in 48 hours one of his residence called and said that there was a 90+% chance of success for resection. So i went ahead and scheduled the surgery. The one thing he was concerned about was my vision, so after 2 days of embolization and a craniotomy it was resected. I did lose about 15% of my left side peripheral vision. I am now coming up on 4 years and i have scheduled a final MRI on Nov 2nd to ensure that i am still 100%, fingers crossed. No more after that.

Hopefully this helps.

2 Likes

Wow amazing, you have come a long way! Thank you so much for this information this is very helpful, I will reach out to Dr. Spetzler. I have the same concern, I have been told my AVM is unoperable and I would like to double check that. You have made a great recovery, goodluck and best wishes on your upcoming MRI! Thank you again!

Alyssa

Alyssa, i forgot to mention that my AVM was 3x3.5CM. His office number is 602-■■■■■■■■. They will give you the information in regards to mailing your films. This is an easy way to get a second or third opinion and they do get back to you in 48 hours. Best wishes on this opinion.

Dr. Solomon at Columbia in NYC. He resected my 8 yr old son’s AVM. He is not a pediatric doctor but he took care of my son anyway. Dr. Meyers did the embolization the day before and Dr. Solomon resected it the next day. Good Luck!

Thank you so much!

Thank you for your recommendation I really appreciate it! I will look up Dr. Solomon