Can you select your Mayo surgeon?
How does one go about picking the best surgeon once the decision is made to travel out of state to Mayo - Rochester ? I feel like my choice is a good one but is there a best of the best ? The surgery is for removal of my prostate.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
Great post James, best of luck Monday!
Yes Dr thompson
I had settled on HDR Brachytherapy at Mayo, but met with Dr. Igor Frank while exploring my options. Had I decided on surgery, he would have definitely been my first choice.
My surgery was 5 hrs away also. I chose to stay an extra 3 days in a hotel across the street from the hospital for your very reason . No complications but had peace of mind that help was close.
Jim, good luck with your surgery on Monday. Dr. Frank and his team are absolutely awesome and I am confident you will have a great experience and best possible outcome. As you probably know, the first week will be the most difficult part of your recovery. However, after you get the catheter out, it is all down hill from there. Be sure to follow the post surgery therapy and Kagels.
Best of luck with your Monday surgery!!
Jim
Thanks so much, Jim H, for your great “mentorship” and for guiding us toward a fantastic surgeon. You’ve been very kind and generous with taking the time to communicate, and we are eternally grateful for that. I’m optimistic and hopeful! Take care and God bless,
Jim G
I thank you sincerely for your thoughtful, thorough reply. I wish you the best on Monday and always.
Biopsy performed in Ohio showed Gleason 3+4=7 at age 73. Went to Mayo-Rochester for a second opinion with Dr. Igor Frank regarding treatment options (I had requested Dr. Frank based on solely on internet information). Decided on surgery and underwent bilateral nerve-sparing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy performed by Dr. Frank in March 2023. Just short of 1 year post-surgery I am 99% continent (very infrequent, very small leaks), completely satisfied with erectile function and have undetectable PSA to this point. Dr. Frank and his team have provided excellent care from A to Z. I feel very blessed to have found Mayo-Rochester and in particular, Dr. Frank, who I most highly recommend to anyone evaluating his prostate cancer treatment options.
Thank you for your reply. Did you stay in Minnesota until your catheter was removed? Who provides your follow up care? Local urologist or Mayo?
My wife and I stayed on campus post surgery in a Mayo Clinic Charter House apartment until my catheter was removed (1 night post surgery was no charge and I arranged in advance to pay for 6 additional nights in Charter House until my catheter was removed). Charter House rates are reasonable (comparable to the cost of a hotel room and there is an onsite cafeteria with take out and a full kitchen to fix meals).
All subsequent follow up care with Dr. Frank and his team has been with Mayo Clinic by Zoom, phone calls or Mayo Clinic portal emails. I have to take a PSA test every 3 months for 2 years. The PSA tests are ordered by my local internist here in Ohio and reported to Mayo Clinic through MyChart. Fortunately my first 3 PSA tests have been undetectable so I just send a message to Dr. Frank's office using the Mayo Clinic portal and receive back a reassuring response along the lines of "keep up the good work."
If my PSA tests become detectable or I have other prostate removal issues that I feel need to be addressed I plan to work with Dr. Frank to determine how and where to best proceed. I live about 700 miles from Mayo-Rochester but the logistics have been very workable. And as I said in my post above, well worth it because I am totally confident that I have received the very best medical treatment possible from Dr. Frank and his team.