Jim, I think $1,400 per hour is inflated. Eaton spent at least 45 minutes with me personally for one finger. He spends a lot of time working the palm as well + injections. Personally I don't object to CHS making the same $/hour as they do with OS. As you say, NA is not going to cause them to lose revenue. Should It?

When comparing cost, don't forget the charges of the hospital or outpatient surgery center and anesthesiologist. It adds up. And while for some people, open surgery is a long term fix, for some of us there is still rapid recurrence and we need surgery every couple of years. NA was a lot cheaper for me even though the OS surgeon was contracted under my insurance carrier but my subswquent NA surgeon (Dr. Denkler) is not.

Also consider lost earnings from greater recovery time. I was retired at the time of my second OS but know I would have lost productivity even though I had a desk job.

All true. I also have a big stack of bills for months of physical therapy. The 'hassle factor' of surgery - months of disablity, lost opportunities, lack of exercise, time spent on exercises and wound dressing - can't be measured, but it's enormous.

My point was just that when NA first came onto our radar, it was so cheap that it was a no-brainer, assuming you'd enjoy a trip to Paris for it's own sake. When it came to the U.S., the cost took a really big jump and I'm not sure why.

I'd like to be certain that my insurance plan would cover it even if I need repeated treatments over the years. I'd like more MDs offer it, at lower cost and closer to where I live. Alternatively, I'd like to see Dr. Eaton move to someplace more interesting than Jupiter, Florida :-)

Wolfgand -
Thanks for the summation. It mirrors my own conclusions that the side effects, in particular the loss of hand strength, and the long recovery period even with physical therapy of a fasciectomy.

I have been trying to get information on radiation treatment as a follow-up treatment after NA has been performed as a way to reduce the likelihood of further disease progression. I have been unable to find anyone who speaks English at the two clinics in Montreal, or to get questions answered in emails to Professor Seegenschmiedt by way of Christiane Kerstan.

I am scheduled for NA with Dr. Denkler (CHS) in Larkspur, California next week. Blue Cross covers the cost of the consultation and the procedure.

http://www.plasticsurgerysf.com/dupuytrens/

Bruce

Hi Bruce, my 5 cents but really my personal opinion: radiation therapy is known to be efficient it the infant stage of Dupuytren where it can stop the initial, small nodules from further growth. When cords are already big, and if you are getting NA yours probably are, then radiation therapy can at best slow down growth of the cords. That might help to reduce/postpone recurrence and that's why radiotherapy is being considered as post-treatment after NA. But there isn't any experience available yet because this therapy has been used so far primarily for the initial stage. In short: it might be interesting to try but don't expect too much. Maybe the magic works, maybe it doesn't.

I have been talking to Christiane Kerstan just yesterday and will be in Essen in two weeks. Can I do anything for you?

Give my regard to Keith Denkler. He is a great guy.

Wolfgang

Quote:

---

I have been trying to get information on radiation treatment as a follow-up treatment after NA has been performed as a way to reduce the likelihood of further disease progression. I have been unable to find anyone who speaks English at the two clinics in Montreal, or to get questions answered in emails to Professor Seegenschmiedt by way of Christiane Kerstan.

I am scheduled for NA with Dr. Denkler (CHS) in Larkspur, California next week.

---