[Anita]

Hello Everyone,

Dr. B and I met at a business meeting in a "highly acclaimed" heart surgery center in the USA in January where we observed an aneurysm repair of the brain. We were meeting the surgeon afterwards and were given a tour.

We were both astounded at the clutter, total disarray and overall uncleanliness in the OR theater and were equally shocked when we were asked to step into a carpeted hallway afterwards to remove our bodysuits, hats and booties, a hallway used by the general public entering for same day surgeries.

We, of course, automatically balked at this and removed our protective garments inside the OR area hallway first, washed our hands with the antiseptic pump, having NOT transported anything with our feet or hands, while our guides, (doctors) stared at us like we were children behaving funny.

Dr. B later told me the conditions we saw are common for him to see stateside, (as he is in the USA on a monthly basis), and would NOT be
permitted in Germany or Austria. Period.

After attending over 200 hundred sugeries here where the theaters are used for many types of surgeries, including childbirth, and all are as immaculate, uncluttered and scrubbed as much as possible between each case, I am most reluctant to have ANY type of surgical procedure stateside.

I am equally as dumbfounded and angered when patients are warned off from having surgery in Europe by their own physcians, because,(this is what is told to many, many patients from every corner of the USA) and I quote, "Are you crazy?, Lord knows what kind of infection you'll come back with if you have surgery in Germany, AND you can forget about "Me" handling your post-op problems here in the USA." end quote.

Dr. Bertagnoli's post-op infection rate? "0%".

Be very wary of advice given based on ignorance and fear.

Just my two cents worth based on actual real time experience.

Anita Peludat
International Patient Coordinator
Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli