@tld56 I thought long and hard about whether or not to get a second opinion and in the end I decided, in this case, that it was not necessary. I have a lot of health problems and see a lot of doctors. I asked everyone of them about their opinion of my orthopedic spine surgeon's work and every single one of them gave him top marks. I also felt confident about him because I have had a lot of other orthopedic surgeries and his exam and protocols for everything in the presurgical period were very thorough and complete. I am probably the exception in that I did not need a second opinion for this surgery. If you have any doubts at all get that second or third opinion. I am currently in need of a very important hand surgery (I am a musician) and I will be seeking a 4th opinion on that in the near future. You have to weigh EVERYTHING before deciding what to do. None of this is easy. I live in Michigan and if you want my spine surgeon's name please send me a pm.