Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital Blog — Drs. Cerullo & Sheinkop, Chicago

When a Surgeon Needs Surgery

The last thing a surgeon wants to hear is, that he needs surgery, especially major surgery requiring general anesthesia, hospitalization, recovery, and rehabilitation. The controller becomes the controlled, without respect for reputation, skills, power or wealth.

The first step, after the awful realization and acceptance is to regain as much control over the process as possible. This includes selecting a surgeon, a hospital, and a time, if possible. Also choosing from what may be a menu of surgical approaches – minimally invasive, computer assisted, instrumented all come to mind. (Having been reduced to the status of “mere mortal” the surgeon, like everyone else, begins the search. Often the point of departure is the physician who first established the diagnosis. There will be suggestions as to who, where and when. Invariably, additional information will be forthcoming, solicited or not, from the Internet, colleagues, family, friends and the insurance company (payor). Ultimately, decisions must be made, and rarely are they made intellectually. Rather, the prospective patient will be deluged by information. The choice will mostly depend on a mixture of information, emotion and luck.

Of course, everyone wants the “best”, but who is it that gives that award? Is it really the most convenient, or the most accessible, or the most friendly? Is it the best trained or best looking? Is it the employee of a medical conglomeration or the entrepreneur practioner? Is it the old with the wisdom of experience or is the young with new ideas? Is it the rating of Newsweek or Chicago Magazine, or the local television or radio ad?

At the end of the day, the surgeon-patient finds himself on the gurney, intravenous in position ready to be wheeled into an operating room and oblivion. Will I awaken? If so, will I be whole? When can I return to my life, home, family, and profession? What are the risks of action and of inaction? What is my long-term prognosis? In other words, the same questions which surfaced at onset now re-emerge, albeit with a bit more history and information.

All in all, it’s pretty scary. Having just been through all this, perhaps I can offer suggestion on the ordeal.

The Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital Blog was created to provide insightful brain, back, and joint information to people that struggle to find the right path in the maze of healthcare-related decisions they face today. The power of the internet is transforming health information and empowering people to take a front seat in managing their own health; correspondingly it has inspired Doctors Leonard Cerullo and Mitchell Sheinkop to share NOHC's cutting-edge resources with the online community.

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