GKTM300, you are asking all the right questions.
Yes, Bertagnoli definitely has more experience and taken on almost any risky case. He does not necessarily “cherry pick” like many American patients are known to do. Most patients understand that this more aggressive disposition can lead to complications that come with high risk cases.
I believe Cynlite was simply trying to help you realize that Clavel's outcomes are more positive, based on outcomes from this forum. Please also realize that her careful, and helpful, anecdotal research is based only on outcomes reported here. It’s not “comprehensive.”
My biases and observations I’ve mentioned countless times:
- Prefer surgery in the U.S.
- Traveling overseas to and fro is brutal. Few can afford first class.
- Prices stateside are comparable or better than overseas.
- Better chance of reimbursement, especially with higher volume U.S. clinics.
- Many spine surgeons have done ADR here since 2001.
- If surgery is complicated, you have NO legal options to sue docs overseas. Some will say you do; but you don’t.
- I love the kinematics of the M6, but do not like all the materials or the keels.
Also a reminder that are many moving variables that make comparative analysis very challenging. A few examples:
- Roles and responsibilities in the OR in Europe are different than in the US. E.g., some spine docs do their own surgical opens – taking the place of a vascular surgeon. This was the case 5-8 years ago, I don’t know if this has changed.
- Infection rates are difficult to track ANYWHERE, and this still pisses me off after so many years!
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