| IMPORTANT INFORMATION AS
YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION |
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| “How
do I know what questions to ask?” |
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| WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR
IN THE SURGEON YOU CHOOSE? |
| Studies have shown that outcomes
from surgery are not only dependent on the total experience
of the surgeon but the regularity with which he continues
to perform the operation. For prostate surgery studies
have quoted a minimum of 40 cases per year as a number
a surgeon needs to perform to achieve consistent outcomes
in the top tier of national results. As of January 2007
Dr. Fagin has performed over 900 daVinci and laparoscopic
prostate surgeries and continues to perform over 200 daVinci
robotic prostate surgeries annually. His high surgical
volume makes him the #1 volume daVinci prostate surgeon
in Texas and the #8 volume surgeon in the Nation. (see
intuitive surgical letter for supporting
documentation) |
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| HOW
DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER SURGERY? |
| Ask
your doctor to provide you with names and phone numbers
of patients he has operated on to call. Talk to these
people and get a feel for what it was like to go through
that procedure. Dr. Fagin has a list of dozens of patients
who have volunteered to have their phone numbers given
out so they can be called by those individuals considering
daVinci surgery. You can also visit with the local chapter
of Us Too (a prostate cancer support group) to speak with
patients that have had all forms of treatment with perfect
and less than perfect outcomes. Their stories can be helpful
in allowing you to make a fully informed decision. Mike
Jones is the chapter leader in Austin and his phone number
is available to you if you are interested in speaking
to him or attending a meeting. |
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| SO MANY OUTCOMES
SOUND SO SIMILAR. HOW DO I CHOSE? |
| It is true that
many treatments for prostate cancer carry similar cure
rates. However, the side effects a treatment can result
in, the ability to fix those side effects if they occur,
and ability to treat a cancer that comes back differs
greatly between treatments. Don’t just go for what
sounds “easy”. Learn what your chances of
success are but also learn what less than perfect outcomes
can occur and how fixable they are. |
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