Cleveland Clinic

[Cookcreek]

My understanding is Dr. Fazio is not really working anymore. I did go to CC and it didn't turn out very well. Very very very poor pain control. My k-pouch didn't work out well at all and I have my worst nightmare an ileostomy.

[Diane C]

I went to the FLORIDA branch of the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. My surgeon was fantastic in every way. Dr Steven Wexner. Google him (and see his resume).

I was pretty desperate... had already had an ACE and really wanted to see if I could get a colostomy rather than an ileostomy -- not that anything is "wrong" with the latter... but nothing was wrong w/ most of my bowel. The pelvic floor was the issue and most of my gut was AOK.

I can't say enough good words about this skillful, communicative genius... and the rest of the staff were dynamite, too. I just wish it were closer to VA!

Diane C

[mod_kitty]

I just had my K-Pouch surgery from the Cleveland Clinic 2 weeks ago. Dr. Dietz did it, and I'm very happy (so far) with the outcome. But I must say, the residents are horrible! If you have any questions, you have to go through them first. They can't give you exact answers or make important decisions until talking to the surgeon, so things take longer. I'm aware this is a teaching hospital, and I also know the residents help in the surgery room (although they'd never admit that). My tube was stuck 3.5" to far in my pouch, and it was always bleeding even after I went to the hotel for a week. I kept calling the on-call resident and they gave me half-assed answers that didn't explain anything. it took them 2 days to get Dr. Dietz to tell them I have a small pouch and to expect some blood clots. Then 2 days after going to the hotel I became really sick and started vomiting. I ended up going to the ER and after the horrible ER experiences (x-ray, then cat scan, then dealing with stupid residents) I found out the next morning about the 3.5" kink. After it was adjusted I felt immediately better and got back to normal within the hour.
I WAS PISSED! That was the reason for the blood and horrible vomiting/dehydration/ER stay, and the residents didn't want to admit they were at fault. They just kept saying 'it looks like a mechanical problem but it could be anything'.

The 2nd problem was the Pain Management. You must ask for a conversation with the pain management team or the anesthesiologist before the surgery instead of 5 minutes beforehand. I came out of surgery and the morphine didn't work! They left me in pain for 2 hours before deciding to give me an epidural! I remember screaming for help and nobody was there, and could hear them saying they didn't know what to do with me. I finally asked for my mom to come in and she was horrified when she saw me. I was begging anyone near me to stop the pain and trying to scream!

For the next week I never got my pain under control. They changed the methods every 12 hrs and I was never not in pain! A resident asked to keep 'upping the epidural' and by the 3rd time I tried to tell him that his plan wasn't working. He replied with 'well it will work this time'. I told him to get the doctor in and he was hesitant....the nurses never quite cared or believed me when I told them I was dying of pain and told me to push the morphine button that they turned down to the lowest setting. I have an incredibly high pain tolerance and this was the most horrible pain management problem I've EVER had.

Those people need a back-up plan if a method doesn't work. They need to listen to the patient, and they need to stop leaving the patient solely in the residents hands. Once the doc got involved things started changing.

These are some of the best GI surgeons in the US but the recovery is something you must really go over with everyone. Ask to be in constant contact with the surgeon (probably won't happen). My point is that Cleveland Clinic leaves a lot of responsibility in the hands of residents, which makes things really hard on the patient. This is something to keep in mind.

They are unbeatable for surgeon skills, so that may outweigh everything. Dr. Fazio & Dr. Dietz are amazing!

[jpeters-1952]

I am experiencing incontinence and trouble intubating, so considering a revision/replacement nipple valve of my Kock Pouch by Dr. Dietz and am looking for people's experiences with him as their surgeon.

Thanks. Time is of the essence.

[ET_RN]

Dr Kiran (from the Cleveland Clinic) was trained under Dr. Fazio has moved to NY. He still performs Kpouches, Jpouches and complex surgeries on people who are told they "cannot be operated on".
Herbert Irving Pavilion Room 8th Fl.
161 Fort Washington Avenue
New York, NY 10032
Phone: 212.342.1155
http://asp.cumc.columbia.edu/f...118&DepAffil=Surgery