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[BilateralDamage]

Surprised there wasn't a thread on Dr. Rozbruch here.. I just had a consultation with him today and will share any and all info I've learned.

Cost

Dr. Rozbruch said he estimated a total cost for PRECICE lengthening of about $120,000.  About $80,000 in hospital fees, and $40,000 in his fees.  This estimate only includes the surgery, and visits afterwards with Dr. Rozbruch.  As far as removal costs go, he said it is about $7,000 in total.  Should any complications arise (such as nail bending, breaking) he would most likely cover the nail replacement and his surgery fees but NOT the hospital costs (which could run around $80,000). * updated on request

Recovery

Recovery from distracting 6.5 cm with PRECICE will consist of you being in a wheelchair for 5 months- minimum.  Weight-bearing should not be attempted with the PRECICE nail in the early stages.

Consultation

A consultation with Dr. Rozbruch costs $350 EXCLUDING X-rays.  If you want to get x-rays done on the same floor of his facility, you will have to pay $615 for the X-rays if your insurance does not cover it.  I ended up spending over $1000 today as a result (including the blasted parking ticket I got...)  His consultation is good and standard- the only thing I didn't like too much was that because it was an office, I didn't have a lot of opportunity to ask other patients about their experiences with him.

Miscellaneous

If you are still interested after the pricing, you are required to have a psychological evaluation and clearance before being accepted into the program. You would need to make an appointment and see Dr. Ellen Katz Westrich, Tel: 212-946-1739

Contact info

S. Robert Rozbruch, MD
Chief, Limb Lengthening and Complex Reconstruction Service (LLCRS)
Hospital for Special Surgery
Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery
Weill Medical College, Cornell University
Office Location: 519 East 72nd Street, Suite 204
Mailing address: 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021
tel: 212-606-1415   fax: 212-774-2744
email: RozbruchSR@hss.edu
www.LimbLengthening.com ; www.hss.edu/limblengthening

[handy]

Recovery from distracting 6.5 cm with PRECICE will consist of you being in a wheelchair for 5 months- minimum.  Weight-bearing should not be attempted with the PRECICE nail in the early stages.

I think you misunderstood Dr. Rozbruch. Especially when talking about lengthening the femurs. I also consulted with him and he did not tell me these same timeframes. Lengthening 6.5cm only takes about 70 days for the femur. After lengthening is complete most patients are walking with or without the aid of crutches or a walker within 30-45 days. That's only 100-115 days which is far less than 5 months.

Lengthening the tibias of course takes longer because you only lengthen 0.75mm per day instead of 1mm per day like you do for the femurs so that may push things closer to 5 months if you do the full 6.5cm on the tibias.

This will all change now with the Precice 2 because you can weight bear 150lbs and walk with crutches while lengthening. That information I got from Dr. Paley because when I consulted with Dr. Rozbruch he was still using the Precice 1.

[alps]

$80,000 to the hospital???
Is it for just 4-5 days after surgery or all through the lengthening procedure?

And what does "he would most likely cover complications" mean? Is going to for sure? What's the catch?
Thanks

[BilateralDamage]

Handy,

This is the exact time frame he told me for lengthening with the PRECICE 6.5 cm on the femurs.  2 months lengthening, 3 months consolidation.  It's not recommended you weight-bear during the consolidation phase since there's a strong likelihood of breaking or bending the nail (which can only hold up 30 lbs per leg) or snapping your bone.  Obviously this is all circumstantial and depends on how strong your consolidation is.  He was being conservative- but for a good reason.  Dr. Rozbruch does not offer the PRECICE 2 yet and said he will probably receive it in a few months.  But who wants to risk weight-bearing on something that can only hold 75 lbs per leg?  You'll be carrying a weight scale with you and measuring your footsteps?

short_and_depressed,

Yes, US hospitals suck.  Look at how much I had to pay for 1 freaking x-ray!  It's even an additional charge if I wanted a copy of my own x-ray I had done  .  For this reason, Dr. Rozbruch allowed me to take a picture of the X-ray using my phone in his office. 

This cost is only for the brief minimal stay you have in the hospital after surgery (maybe 2 nights?)

Yeah you can tell I worded that very carefully.  Basically, the way he told me it was this: he's never had a complication of a PRECICE nail breaking and having to replace it.  But if that were to happen, then he would most likely "uphold the contract"; meaning he would cover the costs of the nail and his surgery fees.  But he didn't give a clear answer on that because he was disregarding the costs of the hospital, which could be comparable to the original $80,000.  On that note, I'm going to ask an admin to edit my original post- there's no way he would cover the entire replacement surgery.  If you damage your nail, you could easily be looking at a figure of the original $80,000, which could also explain why Dr. Rozbruch is so conservative when it comes to weightbearing.

[programdude]

Used him for rod removal.

While well within his outline protocol my left femur snapped in half. Had originally seemed very competent, professional and attentive but this was a severe oversight resulting in lots of suffering, expenses, and time lost.

[concernedmom]

I have one question. Should the rods be removed within a year? Have been reading about this, it is recommended a year after the surgery. Just curious.

[DoingItForMe]

Nail removal is $5000 per nail so $10,000 in total - plus hospital fees if your insurance doesn't cover it.

[Penguinn]

That's a lot of money..

[insearchofanswers]

Seems good but damn expensive!

[BiggestProblem]

The hospital is expensive.

[Stadiometer]

Price can potentially be reduced to $75,000 if you have U.S. medical insurance.

Patient Experience: http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=4146.0

Dr. Rozbruch Wesite: http://limblengthening.com

[Stadiometer]

Accidental double post.

[DreamOf180cm]

I'll get LL with him in my dreams. That price tho. 

[notimportant]

Very good price!

[KiloKAHN]

Probably would need a PPO and not an HMO for any insurance to cover it. Too bad I couldn't get CLL with my Kaiser Permanente Platinum coverage. I've spoken to a few traumatologists who said they'd have no problem offering it as a service if Kaiser allowed them to.

The initial $100,000 is still cheaper than what he was charging years ago ($120,000) and people who have consulted with him seem to like him.

[Rod Thick]

Dr. Rozbruch is such a good choice for people who live in the northeastern part of the United States and have good medical insurance. I wish I could do my lengthening at home. It would make everything so much easier!

[The Kaiser]

His price is not the most concerned, living in New York for 3 months need a huge fat budget.

[Stadiometer]

Dr Rozbruch fees: 75k (insurance paid 25k, i found this out today)
Hospital fees: 35k (insurance paid all of it, except for like $300)

Total cost to me: 50k

Email response from Dr. Rozbruch after asking him what insurance companies & policies do the best job of covering the costs associated with limb lengthening. Here is his response:






Dr. Rozbruch Website: http://limblengthening.com

[yyes]

Email response from Dr. Rozbruch after asking him what insurance companies & policies do the best job of covering the costs associated with limb lengthening. Here is his response:






Dr. Rozbruch Website: http://limblengthening.com

This makes me really excited. I work for the government and they offer United Healthcare.

[Shadow91]

You need a insane buget for Dr Robert Rozbruch if you live outside US. But Dr Rozbruch and Dr Paley are the best and most safe, the rest are not, i dont care what other people say.

[Auron]

But Dr Rozbruch and Dr Paley are the best and most safe, the rest are not, i dont care what other people say.

I thought for 4 years that Guichet was the best, but since ive been reading this forum for the past 2 days im freaking lost.

Man, ive been wanting to do this surgery for 4 years but i am so scared of the risks.

You should just toss a coin and pick a doctor, you have no idea anyways.

[Shadow91]

Auron, ive read more diaries than you can count for the past 4 years. I know that you and Monegal are butthurt beause i dont think you are the safe option, but just because i changed my prefered option to Dr Paley or Dr Rozbruch doesnt meant that i dont have no idea. Ive always thought that Dr Guichet was the best option considering the cost and safety but these past days i change my mind and decided i rather wait until i have the means to go with Paley or Rozbruch, to be as safe as possible. I rather keep an open mind and go for the safest option available unlike you.

[LAGrowin]

Auron, ive read more diaries than you can count for the past 4 years. I know that you and Monegal are butthurt beause i dont think you are the safe option, but just because i changed my prefered option to Dr Paley or Dr Rozbruch doesnt meant that i dont have no idea. Ive always thought that Dr Guichet was the best option considering the cost and safety but these past days i change my mind and decided i rather wait until i have the means to go with Paley or Rozbruch, to be as safe as possible. I rather keep an open mind and go for the safest option available unlike you.

I've been a lurker for almost 1 year. I've tried to research as much as possible, and read as many diaries as I could.

I've decided to have surgery at the beginning of October 2017. I will be doing femurs.

I'm curious as to why Dr. Mahboubian in Los Angeles is not mentioned much as an option. I have chosen him mainly due to the geographical benefit to me, however he seems a solid option for many, in terms of experience and cost. I think I may have chosen him even if he was a cross the country.  He is professional, straightforward and doesn't push the surgery.  I've also read somewhere that he was trained by Dr. Rozbruch, which of course makes me feel that much better.

The Dr. M diaries I've read seem pretty free of complications.

[Auron]

But Dr Rozbruch and Dr Paley are the best and most safe, the rest are not, i dont care what other people say.

I rather keep an open mind and go for the safest option available unlike you.

You can't even pick the right words let alone pick the right doctors. Poor you.

[Shadow91]

Auron(Monegal) now you are just twisting my words, anyone who reads understand exactly my meaning. Instead of just sitting here and twist other peoples word and attack anyone who oppose you, attend to the patients you have misstreated.

[Shadow91]

Stop hijacking this thread Auron( Monegal) and stop with your propaganda war.

[Auron]

anyone who reads understand exactly my meaning.

Anyone who is able to read understands how retarded you are, that is all.

[Shadow91]

Get away Troll. Soon Monegal will send his army of "patients" aka Monegal, to attack.

[Auron]

Troll

[LLSouthAmerica]

You need a insane buget for Dr Robert Rozbruch if you live outside US. But Dr Rozbruch and Dr Paley are the best and most safe, the rest are not, i dont care what other people say.

Do not think these doctors are the only "good" ones from a technical point of view, there are plenty of better doctors everywhere in the world who do this procedure in a non cosmetic way. The difference is that in the US there is better control of doctor malpractice and that makes them really careful from the moment of the surgery until recovery.

The benefits of Dr. Rozbruch and Paley are the environment in which they work and also the Precise nail which in my opinion is the best nail for the majority of cases. The other doctors who have bad reputation using IM nails, are not devoid of medical skill, but it is rather the greedy nature of LL doctors that make them commit errors or refuse to perform corrective surgery without charging more.

[Shadow91]

A valid point mate.