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Knee doc in SLC

Original Post
Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

It looks like my ACL is gone, I was wondering if anybody had any good experiences with any surgeons in Salt Lake.

I'm also very interested in exactly how much things cost, the most irritating thing about medical care is that you buy things first and find out how much they cost later.

Thanks.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Tico wrote:It looks like my ACL is gone, I was wondering if anybody had any good experiences with any surgeons in Salt Lake. I'm also very interested in exactly how much things cost, the most irritating thing about medical care is that you buy things first and find out how much they cost later.
A couple of us have used Dr. Charles Beck for ortho stuff. Highly recommended at least for shoulders, achilles, but, I think he does knees as well.

Seems like there's a ton of high end knee surgeons, though. Dr. Rosen? Check with the Tosh folks. Rosenberg is a name I've heard bandied about favorably.

Cost? Well if you have to ask...

Oh, you mean "hypothetically speaking", because, you really don't have a pre-existing condition.

Go get insurance.

Cheers.
Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

No, I have insurance, I'd just like to know how much people paid. I lived with a ruptered L5/S1 disc for a long time before I had that repaired (relatively expensive, I think it was about $20K all told).

If the knee is going to cost a bunch, I'll probably put it off, take up chess or have a kid or something.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Tico wrote:No, I have insurance, I'd just like to know how much people paid.
If you have insurance, then what other folks' paid might be moot. Call up an ortho office, give them your coverage, and have them ball park it for you. Or, read the fine print and figure it out. I'm thinkin', if you have insurance, then "git 'er done" (in your best larry the cable guy voice).

I know some folks who've gone long, long times without gettin' an ACL fixed. Not sayin' good or bad, though.

-Brian in SLC
Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

Did the people you know climb regularly without an ACL? I could probably give up skiing.

The few docs I've talked to (friends from college) have given me figures between $6K and $30K, depending, but they're all east coast people. I'm just curious about what SLC people are charging, pre-insurance.

Unfortunately there's no way I'd let any of those guys I knew in school cut me.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Tico wrote:Did the people you know climb regularly without an ACL?
A fairly famous one was Alex Lowe. I think he went something like 10 years or more without one of his. Crazy.

I know a few other folks, too, but they all seem to eventually get it fixed. Wear and tear.

-Brian in SLC
Andy Laakmann · · Bend, OR · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,990

If you are less than 45, DEFINITELY get it fixed. You may get by for a while, but you'll be regretting the damage through wear and tear when you are 50+.

Also - not everyone can get by without an ACL. Depends alot on the geometry and strength of your legs. Without an ACL, some people's knee will just spontaneously collapse... but others seem to not have this problem. Just depends on the individual.

It is a gold-standard surgery, and although the rehab is tough - you'll be 100% a year later.

If it was me, I'd never consider NOT having it repaired. Regardless of cost.

You'll pay now... or pay later.

Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0
Brian in SLC wrote: A fairly famous one was Alex Lowe. I think he went something like 10 years or more without one of his.
Aw man, those are the magic words.
bsmoot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 3,183

Dr. Dean Walker out of Pioneer Valley Hospital fixed my wife's knee and she was very happy.

Dr. Rosenberg is also a big name for knee repair.

NjC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 0
Tico wrote:If the knee is going to cost a bunch, I'll probably put it off, take up chess or have a kid or something.
Get your knee fixed...kids are a whole lot more expensive!

I remember talking with you last spring when we were climbing Pentapitch and you and your partner (wife?) were climbing Neuromancer to Sasquatch. Sorry to hear you're injured. Good luck with the decision and the healing!
Dave · · Tahoe City · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 200

Check out Rosenberg. He's part of an ortho clinic at TOSH and in Park City. Anyone who is the team ortho doc for the US skiing, speedskating and snowboard teams has to be damn good.

rcmclinic.com/doctors/rosen…

Tico · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

It looks like I'm going with Dr. Cooley, from that same clinic. He was mentioned to me by Dr. Russ Toronto, an osteopath.

I'm told I can climb again about two months post-op, which is nice.

Thanks for everyone's advice and support!

Dave · · Tahoe City · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 200

I think you'll be in good hands. Cooley and Roseberg's partner, Michael Metcalf, recently did my shoulder. As a team, they're probably some of the best sports ortho docs in the country. I plan on being on the rock again by March.

Interesting enough, Cooley's sister is my PT at TOSH.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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