Health Organization for Pudendal Education

Dear PN'ers,

I went a saw Dr. Ansell in Houston several months ago to decide if I need surgery or not. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to get surgery before this year is up because of insurance costs, etc. I just called his office and his surgery coordinator said he's not taking new patients for PN/PNE. She said he is going to focus on his spine practice instead. This of course raised a bit of a red flag as to why he's not messing with PN/PNE sufferers anymore. Have his surgeries been unsuccessful or did he possibly get sued? Or is it just a matter of preference that he prefers to work on the spine instead. Anybody have any insight to this? She mentioned that she'd get back to me to see if he'd consider doing surgery on me since I've already seen him.

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Matt

Matt,
Probably not the same (certeinly losing a PN /PNE dr is worse for you) but I kinda know how you feel. My physiatrist/ mucularskeletical guy who works for spine & sports medicine just decided to stick to injections. He was covering pain management and said he was getting out of that after helping me for 20+ years because there are now pain specialists but then when I called about my feet he said he wasn't covering them or their arthritis. He said the pain guy I am now seeing should do my Family Medical Leave Act paperwork so I can take leave without pay with flareups and keep my job. But that guy said "he doesn't do paperwork"! Luckily I just saw a foot dr and she agreed to do the paperwork if the injection she gave me does not work. It really has been stressful but at least I believe my gyne will do the paperwork for the PN since that is even more time off. Maybe the spine group has something going on or your theories are correct either way I am so very sorry to hear abput this turn of events we more not less help! I hppe you can get in or find another dr to move forward.
Janet

Hi- I had surgery last year with ansell and his coordinator said he was going back and fourth deciding if they were going to do surgery anymore. They were having a difficult time dealing with insurance and Pne and she basically told me that he was getting paid enough for the surgeries. I had to pay 2000 up front plus what my insurance didn't pay.


It's sad because he is talented and has saved so many people's lives and got them back on their feet. I have learned that having this condition that the doctors are in it more for the money. I get it... we live in a money driven society. I wish it was the opposite because this is such a hard condition. You would think that since he is one if the pioneers with one in USA that is focus would be to continue to help those that suffer.

I hope they call you back.... They never were good at that in the office.

Wasn't getting paid!!! Oops and it had to do with the coding of Pne with surgeries

I see Dr Ansell tomorrow August 8 2013. He is still doing surgery because he will be doing mine hopefully next month. This is my first post her. I have been diagnosed with PNE bilaterally. The pain started over 2 years ago and has left me not able to work for over 18 months. This was work related so covered by workers comp. MRN showed clear entrapment, PNMLT was very high and have had many blocks with temp results. I am looking forward to my visit to Ansell tomorrow to see when we can schedule surgery.

NewMom2Be,

How have you been since your surgery? Did it help you?

Tfmcnellist,

Thanks for the note. I hope he is still doing surgeries as well because I paid a lot of money out of pocket to go down and see him several months ago. I know he's one of the guys with the most PNE surgeries under his belt in the states. Please let us know if you get any more info from him.

Thanks!

Matt

I saw Ansell today. I will be having my surgery in the next few weeks. He said he will be taking on more administrative duties and he is considering not taking new patients but will still do them if you were in the pipeline. It seemed as tough he has not made his mind up yet. He told me he has done over 550 PNE surgeries.

Thanks for the info. How do you feel about having surgery with a doctor that possibly won't be doing them anymore? If there was a complication months or years down the road you can't go back...you'd have to go to another doc somewhere else that doesn't know your problems and didn't do you surgery. Just something I'm thinking about. Tough decision! Dr Ansell has a ton of experience which is the reason I'm considering it with him but I don't like the thought of him giving up these surgeries for some reason. What are your thoughts?

Hello,

I am very sorry that you cannot have operation with Dr. Ansell. From the other side he used to cut both ST and SS ligaments while Dr Hibner and Dr Conway spare ST ligament. It is very important for future stability of pelvic area.
Just for the fun of it I was in worse situation. There used to be a doctor in University Hospitals in Cleveland, Dr Thomas Chelinsky. He did EMG of much more nerves in pelvic area than Dr Conway. I made list of nerves to test with my Detroit doctor. We spent a lot of time discussing what to make of this trip.
She made prescription and faxed it to Cleveland. They said that it all could be done. I was in car for 3.5 hours and arrived half dead.
When I came there I found out that Dr. Chelinsky now does pediatric nerve surgeries, moved from Cleveland to Milwaukee, that equipment that he used is ordered from UK and expensive and that UH did not get enough return on investment with these tests so they do not do it anymore. . I was ready to kill someone and myself as well.
But generally speaking industrialized medical system is not very interested in helping us.

Do not despair,

Helen

Ansell said he would continue to see patients that he had seen in th past if needed. He assured me there will be no instability if the pelvis was not unstable to begin with.