[jss]

Scott,

Condolences on your condition. My first and third cervical surgeries were to relieve compression on the spinal cord. However, in my case every doctor I saw agreed on the course of treatment, and no one told me that surgery wouldn't help. I can imagine that you feel punched in the gut.

Dr Zigler's comment still seems ambiguous. Did he feel that his surgical abilities were insufficient for your case? Or did he feel that no current surgical technique would help your condition? Even having read your radiology report, I still have many questions; did Dr Zigler see your problem as neurological, or as being with the vertebra and joints? I did not see anything mentioned in your radiology report for which there does not exist an accepted and generally successful surgical intervention. Did Dr Zigler see something in your images that the doctor that wrote the report missed? As Dr Zigler's credentials are beyond question, it would be a good thing to know what he meant. You can call TBI and request Dr Zigler's notes.

I understand your reservations about surgery in another country. I had a double ADR with Dr Clavel in Barcelona, Spain in 2009, which to date has been very successful. But had there been a problem, not only would I have had no recourse, but my physical and financial conditions would have certainly become much worse. If you do eventually seek foreign treatment, I would strongly encourage a lot of research.

Good luck, Jeff