Laser Spine Institute-Tampa

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

gregscan wrote:

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

Go read the last like 10-20 pages of I need a professional opinion (please no tire... thats all it's about lots of info some good some bad.

I was a patient of Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, Florida. I had several procedures performed and have successfully recovered. The only problem I am experiencing is regarding the down payment and reimbursement process. I gave LSI, an "out-of network provider"
a $15,000.00 deposit for my surgery. Unbeknownest to myself, the surgeon who operated on me was "in-network" with my insurance company.
Now, 9 months later, LSI is refusing to return my deposit stating that they were unaware my surgeon was "in-network". Not my problem. They should have done their homework!! My insurance company paid them as an "in-network provider" and now they are unwilling to reimburse my deposit. I have "out-of-network" benefits and should have incurred only a fraction of my now "out of pocket" expenses. Be very careful!!
I can say the surgery, to this point, was successful, however, 13 years ago when I had a discectomy and laminotomy I was told the same. If anyone who is experiencing the same, please contact me via E-mail address HO9KIE@aol.com to discuss this particularly messy situation.

My wife had excruciating pain from lower back herniation and had two procedures at LSI. Although the intense nerve pain was stopped, she still has problems with additional herniations in thoracic area of spine. I would not say that the experience was bad, but she certainly didn't have the amount of success that the testimonials show by former patients lining the walls of the facility. I now believe that my wife's case was at the upper limits of what they can do to help her, and I would have welcomed an acknowledgement that their procedure was borderline as to its success. Once your out the door, their follow-up is not very good. Still, my wife thought it was better than open back surgery which may have had similar post complications as well. Good luck!

Nice commentary and contribution backinpain. I hope that you take this the way it is intended. You certainly don't need my approval but I wanted to say something positive after all the crap that's been thrown back and forth between us.

I had a surgery at LSI the beginning of May 2008. I had been hit by a car while riding my bike and had 3 disc herniations in my lower spine. I was really skeptical about LSI, but after visiting decided to have my surgery there, and am so thankful I did. I have virtually no pain now (except I am still pretty weak since I was in pain for over a year). I had gone to about three different surgeons prior to LSI and they all wanted to perform a fusion on my me, with a recovery time of about 6 months. I am only 24 and did not want that, and am so glad I didn't have to. Two weeks after surgery I was able to start using an elliptical, and now, about 8 weeks later I can pretty much do anything I used to. I did not have any insurance, and I was hit in a hit and run, so I had to pay for the surgery out of pocket, which was $30,000, but after checking into other more traditional surgeries, with the overnight stays in hospitals, etc., the out of pocket cost was anywhere up to 75,000, so I did not feel at all that 30 was too much. Also, while I was at LSI I encountered a number of people with similar stories who were free of pain immediately after surgery. I would definitely recommend it

gregscan wrote:

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

Dogfart wrote:

Nice commentary and contribution backinpain. I hope that you take this the way it is intended. You certainly don't need my approval but I wanted to say something positive after all the crap that's been thrown back and forth between us.

I wonder what happened to backinpain's comment?

I had surgery at LSI almost two years ago for Left C6 C7. Price was $30,000 up front. They removed the pain and I am back doing everything as before but do take things easier. My left hand and fingers are cramping up since 7 months ago as I said on another site. Numbness on left side of hand and pinky which they said was 50 50 in getting feeling back but its not going to come back...no big deal. I give the place a big thumbs up but it is expensive and insurance would not pay. Even though its an out patient place its still major surgery and serious stuff.

The institute suggested surgery , the doctors in new york state refuse surgery. lately i have had problems with my legs there being pinched by another nerve besides the problems with my neck 456 degeneration . i went back to my chiropratcor and see him twice a week to eliminate pain but the side effects from the neck are diahrea headaches, sometimes sthomic pain is it worth it if half the time you are sick and out of work compared to having surgery.

gregscan wrote:

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

Save your money, they are a large con game. They took 90,000.00 from an 89 year old man and have 6500.00 4th of July specials "because there are open bookings." My consultation started at 30,000 and went to 15,000.00 but NO INSURANCE. Why? No insurascne company pays cfor a con game.

Carefully evaluate your condition with a Board Certified orthopedic surgeon. My second opinion after I found out about the "medical industry buzz" about LSI, who are under investigation since 2005, came from the Head of the Spine Care Clinic at Shands Medical Center in Gainesville who agreed with my board certified doctor that I would have ben paralyzed by the same procedure you were going to have. This was ascertained by the original MRI films and the reports generated.

gregscan wrote:

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

I had cervical spinal fusion in 2002 of C-4 to C-6. I am now scheduled to have a laminectomy in 2 weeks at Duke University Hospital. Gregscan, I would greatly appreciate any feedback you can offer regarding your experience with the laminectomy. And if anyone else on here has any experiences to offer, that would be very helpful. As with any back surgery I'm scared to death, but it's either that, or take oxycontin the rest of my life.

I also researched the LSI in Tampa, and decided to steer clear of them for the aforementioned reasons. Plus, I have several orthopedic surgeon friends here locally, and they said they would not allow them to operate on their cat.
Thanks to all.

Actully some insurance companies DO pay a portion of the cost for LSI depends on which insurance company you have. Even I got back something which was not much but something. LSI IS FDA Approved and that does mean something not to mention LSI just openned a place up in AZ. To the other poster...you mentioned you have several orthopedic friends (sounds fishy)...I never knew anyone who had so many friends who were orth's. but why would you even contact LSI if indeed you did know so many Orth Dr's? If they are friends you get a great deal from them right? The truth of the matter is I asked many Orth Dr's before I went down and NONE anything bad about LSI and most said they were unaware of the procedures and just didn't know even after I gave them the website or made copies of the websites. Sounds like yout orth "friends"... well...nevermind. Backinpain under a new handle???? LSI is a top knocth place and obviously works or they would not have been in business for so long and openned a new facility due to their high success rate.

I have some back problems, wrote to the institute and they never responded. Not a very good upfront step for them. I am not sure if they have such a good customer service judging from not responding to me

I have contacted them twice myself with no return phone calls.

gregscan wrote:

I have had a laminectomy and spinal fusion. After the spinal fusion, I developed chronic pain (sciatica) since 1998. It is pretty debilitating. I contacted Laser Spine Institute in Tampa, and sent them my MRI. They advised me I could be treated with a procedure called a foraminoctomy. This supposedly used a laser with a camera to separate the bone from pinching on the nerve, thus relieving the pain.
Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with this company?
Thanks.

What did you decide? I am looking at LSI and like everyone else in this condition am not sure what to do. The LSI hype sounds good especially compared to traditional surgery. Would like to hear from actual patients of LSI not second hand accounts.

LSI is a scam, they perform open facetectomies (look it up) which lead to instability and long term future problems. Besides, you should be suspect if any spinal doctor that asks for cash up front, check their board certification, it doesn't exist,Dr. St louis who runs LSI trained under Dr bonati (another DO) who has also been under investigation and in the tampa news for fraud. Lastly, not one of them (the lsi surgeons) are fellowship trained spinal surgeons. They made up their own board!!!. Not the AAOS, or AANS (real boards for Spine surgeons). It is a sad time when doctors take advantage of trusting people for $$$$$$!
BEWARE.

i have an appointment for my husband next monday, sept. 8th, i am scared to death after reading some of these comments. they charge $2500 for visit, and $1000 for cancellation, i would rather lose the money than lose my husband. would the person that was hit on the bike, and the other people who had the successful surgeries, please tell me what doctors performed their surgery at LSI? i also would like to know where i can specifically check out these people? please help me as time is of the essence. thanks

i had a great surg in Tampa. Dr J Small at the florida othpedic center.
good luck.

barb wrote:

i have an appointment for my husband next monday, sept. 8th, i am scared to death after reading some of these comments. they charge $2500 for visit, and $1000 for cancellation, i would rather lose the money than lose my husband. would the person that was hit on the bike, and the other people who had the successful surgeries, please tell me what doctors performed their surgery at LSI? i also would like to know where i can specifically check out these people? please help me as time is of the essence. thanks