Jump to content

Lung removal


JohnRoss
 Share

Recommended Posts

I would welcome any comments or experiences on finding the best place for

major lung surgery in France. Could go to the local hospital in Niort Dept 79

who have done most of the investigations but it has been suggested by relatives

that there are better places................JR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no personal knowledge, but each year the magazine LePoint publishes a survey of the 'best' hospitals.

This is their list for last year for lung problems

http://hopitaux.lepoint.fr/classement-15/pneumologie.php

Generally I prefer CHU (University  teaching hospitals) over CH, but of course there are many excellent cliniques in which specialists practice...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info and advice. This is a much bigger op than my last in 2005 where they removed part of my colon, a Crohn's problem, at the Polyclinique Inkerman in Niort and really don't know what to do for the best. Niort does not score as high as some Paris hospitals and Poitiers on a league table I came across and does not appear on the site you kindly gave. Anyway will see a surgeon at Niort tomorrow and see what he has to say! Cannot fault Niort hospital, not a teaching hospital I gather, so far as have spent more than a week in there for various biopsies and tests but don't know what their post operative care and surgery standards are like compared with others...........JR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JR, I am not informed about this in any way but I do want to wish you all the very best for your op.

How about Bordeaux in fourth place?

Alas, we are no longer in our place in Charente Maritime which was only an hour from Bordeaux.  I could have been more help in a practical way by offering accommodation or transport and things like that, perhaps for Mrs JR [:(]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can get an idea of Poitier's position in the table hechrcre

http://hopitaux.lepoint.fr/poitiers/centre-hospitalier-universitaire-chu-180.php

The criteria for the survey are shown here

http://hopitaux.lepoint.fr/methodo.php

I goes without saying that I wish you the very best for the operation and recovery afterwards.

There is an increasing tendency for hospitals to encourage patients to move on as soon as possible; so it might be an idea to research  a good local 'maison de repos' for aftercare...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again thanks for your advice and good wishes folks. I have had so many

scans and x-rays during the last couple of months I am surprised I don't glow in the

dark. Had two bronchoscopies and biopsies and when they came back negative had a

long needle biopsy which proved positive and also gave me a pneumothorax which

ain't pleasant. Hence the stay in hospital. I may also have a second problem in the throat but have another 2 weeks to wait for the result of that biopsy. Have also to see a urologist soon as they also found a small something in a kidney but they don't seem worried about that just now. The P.E.T. scan I had at La Rochelle showed a lot more detail than the other scans I had locally. Should know more tomorrow when I see

the surgeon and I guess I don't have to accept a date for the op right away so

might need to make a decision then. Last time I had an op in France I asked the guy how

many he had done and he got a bit shirty with me!......................JR 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="sweet 17"]Alas, we are no longer in our place in Charente Maritime which was only an hour from Bordeaux.  I could have been more help in a practical way by offering accommodation or transport and things like that, perhaps for Mrs JR [:(][/quote]

You are a truly lovely human being, Sweets.

Best wishes for the next phase in your investigations / treatments, JR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hope all goes well with your plans JR - thinking about you. I, too, am undergoing surgery tomorrow - though not as serious as yours. Mine involves feminine problems but nonetheless I'm feeling slightly nervous! Thank you Norman for your useful link. I see that the Urology Dept at St Hilaire Clinique Agen is 13th in the Country - that gives me some comfort. Hopefully back in the land of the living soon....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What progress are you making with your search for a good surgeon JR? I came out of hospital yesterday and though very sore and sitting on a rubber ring I'm not too bad and a bit mobile. I cannot give enough praise to the urology department at Clinique St Hilaire Agen (if anynone needs to choose one), One question though, normally I'm very active, taking long daily walks. Does anyone know if it is usual to have a daily anti-phlebite injection for a month after surgery? Anyway let us know your progress JR and thanks all for your good wishes. It does make a difference to know that people are thinking about you.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok well have been up to Paris twice in the last few days. To cut a long story short I have had an offer of surgery to remove the lung at Montsouris Hospital in Paris. Amongst other things they specialise in this sort of operation and I was quite impressed by the senior surgeon that I consulted there today. The choice is difficult. Do I go with his suggestion at the reported number one hospital for this sort of thing with a stay of up to 15 days in the hospital and the wife staying nearby or do I go for the local hospital in Niort who are very good but don't have the reputation that Montsouris has. Will see my generalist tomorrow to see what he thinks. Montsouris were very complimentary about the way Niort had done all the right tests and as you might expect could not comment on the surgeon at Niort who locals I have talked to have said is very good. The point is that the local bloke does a range of stuff including thoracic, vascular and general surgery whereas the guy at Montsouris is dedicated to thoracic surgery. The statistics are encouraging with a 90 to 95% chance of making it through the surgery. Further tests yet to be done to check out me ticker and to make sure that the right lung is good enough to keep me going on its own. So that is the situation at the moment folks............JR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

JR, you're only going to have this done the once, plus you only have this one life.

Go for the BEST and, if it means staying in Paris for 15 days and your OH also staying 15 days, so be it.

Wish I lived nearer to you and can help with your cats but I myself have a bit of a tricky problem at the present time.

All the very best...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw the Montsouris clinique when you first raised the question and also saw that they specialise in less invasive surgery that might have you up and about more quickly.

For what it is worth I had first tests done locally and they were done quite correctly, but when it came to the bigger operation I chose to go to the regional cancer centre in Montpellier which scores highly in the various tables.

My instinct was to go for excellence and I don't regret it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What can also be important is the standard of investigative equipment they have.

Having retired from the NHS and been involved with the allocation of capital monies it is a little concerning when Diagnostic Imaging staff talk about a piece of equipment being 10 years old and it will not show certain things that modern equipment will. They have to rely on experience and instinct to imagine what might be there. Needless to say their equipment is very expensive so with a lack of funding then replacement can be difficult. As the French health system seems to be in trouble no doubt it is the same situation.

JR best of luck for the future. You need to be happy with your choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...