need help choosing a physician

latham
latham Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I am trying to choose a surgeon to do robotic surgery to remove my prostate.I have been seen by a local urologist who does the procedure but I am concerned that I should find one who does a big volume.since I live near nyc(150 miles)I was thinking of going to sloan kettering but don't know surgeons there. I am not sure whether the distance would create issues re. post surgical care. how did you choose your physician?

Comments

  • fcatroneo
    fcatroneo Member Posts: 89
    #2
    I am a prostate cancer patient (60 years old) and just had surgery 12/27/06. I have been told Sloan Kettering was a great cancer hospital, but I think you need to find the right doctor. John's Hopkin is the #1 hospital in the country for prostate cancer and they do the robotic procedure. A buddy of mine had it done there. I went with laproscopic surgery. It was not bad at all. Two doctors that are doing the lap surgery is Dr. Catolona (IL) and Dr. Fray Marshall (Atlanta). Dr. Marshall did my surgery. He has done over 3,000 procedures and continues to do 4 per week. He is ranked in the top 3 doctors in the country for prostate cancer. He heads up the Urology department at Emory University. He worked along with Dr. Patrick Walsh at John Hopkins. Dr. Walsh is the #1 doctor for prostate cancer, unfortunately he no longer performs surgery. Dr. Marshall worked with Dr. Walsh for 25 years putting the John's Hopkin department together. Emory hired Dr. Marshall to head up their department 5 years ago. Dr. Marshall does many of the corporate CEO's around the country. They travel to Atlanta to have him do their surgery. You can Google him on your computer under "Dr. Fray Marshall". Dr. Catolona is another expert in prostate cancer surgery. He also has done many thousand surgeries and still does surgery today. Let me know if I have helped you. I can give you more information if you would like.
  • lardog
    lardog Member Posts: 17
    #3
    Latham
    I am from the Dallas area and wanted robotic. I did a lot of rsearch and the most highly experienced and preferred Doctor, is DR Tewari at Presbyterian Hospital in NYC. 212 746-5643 You can ask for Linda to put you in direct contact with him.
    Dr Tewari performed my surgery in July 14,2006 and have been continent since the day the catheter was removed.
    You can see my other post regarding the surgery or can email me directly for any followup questions you may have.
    The answer to your second question. is Yes, if I was do do it over again I would immediately have Dr Tewari do the surgery.
    If you google Dr Tewari you will see numerous articles, he is well rspected in the field and has been doing Robotic since mid 90's.
    He performs surgery I believe three days a week doing three operations a day. My operation was the first of three on Friday and before I was released from the hospital Saturday afternoon he came to my room to release me and had performed three on Saturday also.
    Dr Tewari personally does each surgery and does not just greet you and shuffle you off to another surgeon like many other prominent doctors do.
    If you have any other questions let me know if I can help.
    Good Luck in your decision process and search.
  • Bamfam
    Bamfam Member Posts: 28
    #4
    I live near NYC. Went to Memorial Sloan and saw a urologist named James Eastham. Did over 2500 RPs and 100 robotic procedures. Worth giving him a call: 646 422 4390

    Good luck & God bless

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