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[Body Builder]

Internal femurs lengthening is one of the easiest surgeries an orthopaedic surgeon could do.
And still Guichet, who charges a tone of money for a robust nail, managed to screw many of patients and generally speaking he has maybe the most mediocre to bad results compared to any doctor who charges so much and does internals.

So how some people still believe he is a capable doctor, no matter which his morals are?
The problem with this dr is not only his lack of morals and his ridiculous prices, it is his mediocre skills too.
Generally, he is one of the worst cases of LL doctors taking in mind all these.
Noone should trust this doctor, for the money he charges there are plenty better options.

[YellowSpike]

Having had LL with him myself...I don't think Guichet is a bad doctor or surgeon. When I did my LL, I saw many patients who had fantastic results, including a guy who did 9cm in one go and was walking fairly normally about 8 months post-op. Granted, he was super young (young 20s), but he was doing fine. I saw many female patients who did really well, including two who were on their second femur LL (to re-break the femur, and get more height)! He has had many success stories, and I think is still among the best (Guichet, Rozbruch and Paley). I'm not sure about Rozbruch (but he removed a screw for me, and I love him personally), but I know Paley has been seen as arrogant and has had complications as well.

All that said...I definitely do think he is arrogant, impatient and disorganized/scatterbrain-ish. The main issue with him I think is that he operates in two different countries. I remember I wanted to stay in Milan, but after the pre-training, had to do the actual surgery and recovery/clicking in London. He visited me a few times, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel abandoned by him at times. I know I was under the care of the isokinentic center (and the doctors and PTs there were fantastic), but it wasn't the same not having the actual surgeon who did the surgery on you readily available.

I still don't regret going to Guichet. The weight bearing nail was what enabled me to do what I did and get back to work ASAP without effing up my career. However...if American doctors start using a weight bearing solution...then it would be a lot harder to recommend Guichet, unless one lives over near where he operates.

I said it once a while back and I'll say it again...LL is like a box of chocolates...you really never know entirely what you're going to get. The more prepared you are and the better doctor you go with minimizes the probability of issues...but never entirely. And people need to remember that. Some doctors are better than others, but no doctor is immune from complications, and sometimes patients themselves screw things up (which isn't the case of Unicorn, but just saying). You are never guaranteed an easy ride, and most doctors (including Guichet, who you have to give credit for the fact that he makes you read about the risks and really know what you're getting into) will straight up tell you this. Even Paley says to have like $30K extra saved in the event of complications/follow-up surgeries, etc.

[realpatient]

The saddest thing is all surgeons who do CLL have loose ethics: Guichet and others. All nails have disadvantages but Precise seems the best option so far. Fitbone doesn't allow reverse lengthening either, a big problem in non union. After LL my advice is don't do LL because you can be lucky but most people have problems and some people are truly unfortunate and will suffer sequels for life.

[jojo]

Why do you Think that ? Did you have bad outcome ? Alot of People Are Happy with ll

[realpatient]

I had a bad outcome and I met many people with bad outcomes and some crippled for life. Some of them don't accept it. I'm happy Unicorn888 is the good direction

[Bander72]

Having had LL with him myself...I don't think Guichet is a bad doctor or surgeon. When I did my LL, I saw many patients who had fantastic results, including a guy who did 9cm in one go and was walking fairly normally about 8 months post-op. Granted, he was super young (young 20s), but he was doing fine. I saw many female patients who did really well, including two who were on their second femur LL (to re-break the femur, and get more height)! He has had many success stories, and I think is still among the best (Guichet, Rozbruch and Paley). I'm not sure about Rozbruch (but he removed a screw for me, and I love him personally), but I know Paley has been seen as arrogant and has had complications as well.

All that said...I definitely do think he is arrogant, impatient and disorganized/scatterbrain-ish. The main issue with him I think is that he operates in two different countries. I remember I wanted to stay in Milan, but after the pre-training, had to do the actual surgery and recovery/clicking in London. He visited me a few times, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel abandoned by him at times. I know I was under the care of the isokinentic center (and the doctors and PTs there were fantastic), but it wasn't the same not having the actual surgeon who did the surgery on you readily available.

I still don't regret going to Guichet. The weight bearing nail was what enabled me to do what I did and get back to work ASAP without effing up my career. However...if American doctors start using a weight bearing solution...then it would be a lot harder to recommend Guichet, unless one lives over near where he operates.

I said it once a while back and I'll say it again...LL is like a box of chocolates...you really never know entirely what you're going to get. The more prepared you are and the better doctor you go with minimizes the probability of issues...but never entirely. And people need to remember that. Some doctors are better than others, but no doctor is immune from complications, and sometimes patients themselves screw things up (which isn't the case of Unicorn, but just saying). You are never guaranteed an easy ride, and most doctors (including Guichet, who you have to give credit for the fact that he makes you read about the risks and really know what you're getting into) will straight up tell you this. Even Paley says to have like $30K extra saved in the event of complications/follow-up surgeries, etc.

He can be as agorant as he wants but his technical skills should have alerted him that something was going wrong. This is not a recent issue it has been a ongoing one with unicorn. And of course he would have good cases theres nothing proven with that. If a doctor had a 100% reputation of fning up eveyone no one would go. As said before though for the money he charges, more attetion to detail should be expected from him.

[onemorefoot]

I had a bad outcome and I met many people with bad outcomes and some crippled for life. Some of them don't accept it. I'm happy Unicorn888 is the good direction

Who was your doctor? I think you should take the risk, Many people have good outcomes.

[cobalt]

Guichet is spread thin so he caught the fracture late but if you look at her x-rays, you have to give him credit for not having to plate her or screwing her latter surgeries up further. His nail is another story and maybe should be discontinued from the pain and trauma it causes pts but I still believe he has too many yrs of experience under CLL to be a bad surgeon, that is what is meant "technically". He did afterall present her with a viable solution to the initial fracture after the problem was revealed. It just took him long to execute it, which is a bad judgment on his part. This doesn't mean I'm vying for anyone to hop onboard to do LL with Guichet or his nail, I don't think anyone with any ounce of sensibility and research will go to him after knowing what Unicorn had to endure in her journey.

[Bander72]

Guichet is spread thin so he caught the fracture late but if you look at her x-rays, you have to give him credit for not having to plate her or screwing her latter surgeries up further. His nail is another story and maybe should be discontinued from the pain and trauma it causes pts but I still believe he has too many yrs of experience under CLL to be a bad surgeon, that is what is meant "technically". He did afterall present her with a viable solution to the initial fracture after the problem was revealed. It just took him long to execute it, which is a bad judgment on his part. This doesn't mean I'm vying for anyone to hop onboard to do LL with Guichet or his nail, I don't think anyone with any ounce of sensibility and research will go to him after knowing what Unicorn had to endure in her journey.

Precisely why he should not have acted late if he was using his "technical skills".

[helloworld]

I think in the new version of Fitbone you will be able to reverse lengthen.

[helloworld]

I had a bad outcome and I met many people with bad outcomes and some crippled for life. Some of them don't accept it. I'm happy Unicorn888 is the good direction

So you actually are a real patient, realpatient?
Would you tell us which doctor?
You are talking a lot about Monegal, but it could not be him, because every person who had a surgery with him, talks very positively about him, including Musicmaker.

[LLSouthAmerica]

So you actually are a real patient, realpatient?
Would you tell us which doctor?
You are talking a lot about Monegal, but it could not be him, because every person who had a surgery with him, talks very positively about him, including Musicmaker.

Come on helloworld, you and I both know that it's because Dr. Monegal doesn't allow his patients to speak bad of him in the forum.

[Bander72]

Come on helloworld, you and I both know that it's because Dr. Monegal doesn't allow his patients to speak bad of him in the forum.

This guy probably been in contact with L Luser.

[LLSouthAmerica]

This guy probably been in contact with L Luser.

Not really, I've seen through all the LL doctors bullcrap and from what I've spoken to Monegal patients and other people who had contact with Monegal patients it is like that. That is not to say he is not a good doctor, I think he made mistakes in the past with MusicMaker but since then he has improved. Remember he is relatively young. I do know for a fact that he doesn't want his patients to speak bad of him in the forum which is understandable considering a bad reputation would cost him thousands of dollars.

[LLSouthAmerica]

And about Dr Guichet, he is really a technical genius at what he does. Traumatologist are basically glorified carpenters and Dr. Guichet is terrific as all the former patients of him would agree with. He does have a lot of knowledge and he is a pioneer in LL. HOWEVER, and this is a BIG however. He completely disregards the human nature of the procedure. The fact that it's not always the cm in the gap between the bone but how the person feels during the procedure. While Guichet Nail is great in the fact that we have a very fast recovery, it does come with increase pain which entails mental/physical stress.

The nail does not have a retrograde function which means that in delayed healing he can't compress the gain to ensure better bone healing. This obviously means he should be more careful in following up with his patients but as Unicorn would testify he was very late in seeing Unicorns X-rays and thus was late in discovering her lack of proper healing. This is a serious mistake, because even if you have a lot of patients to operate on, they don't cease existing after you operate on them. Follow up is a MUST for all surgeons and this is a fact they all seem to forget (I'm not speaking only of LL doctors but in general)

The reason why I suspect Dr Guichet doesn't operate on tibias for me is that as we all know internal tibias make your healing very very slow and it can take more than a year to heal completely. Adding this to the fact that the nails doesn't have a retrograde function if he did operate on tibias he would have an even larger pool of non union patients.

[Pizzagate]

Like who?

[Auron]

Come on helloworld, you and I both know that it's because Dr. Monegal doesn't allow his patients to speak bad of him in the forum.

I am a Monegal patient and I am interested in knowing where you got this from. Sounds like LLuser bullcrap 

[Pizzagate]

Internal femurs lengthening is one of the easiest surgeries an orthopaedic surgeon could do.
And still Guichet, who charges a tone of money for a robust nail, managed to screw many of patients and generally speaking he has maybe the most mediocre to bad results compared to any doctor who charges so much and does internals.

So how some people still believe he is a capable doctor, no matter which his morals are?
The problem with this dr is not only his lack of morals and his ridiculous prices, it is his mediocre skills too.
Generally, he is one of the worst cases of LL doctors taking in mind all these.
Noone should trust this doctor, for the money he charges there are plenty better options.

Like who

[LLSouthAmerica]

I am a Monegal patient and I am interested in knowing where you got this from. Sounds like LLuser bullcrap 

I don't want to betray the people who told me that because they still depend on Dr Monegal for various reasons. I hope people out there believe me when I said what I said because it's the truth. I know for a fact that there are various members in this forum (disregard the LLuser/realpatient/notimportant bull ) that also know about this. I am not lying to damage Dr. Monegal's reputation, but the truth is the truth.

[Auron]

I don't want to betray the people who told me that because they still depend on Dr Monegal for various reasons. I hope people out there believe me when I said what I said because it's the truth. I know for a fact that there are various members in this forum (disregard the LLuser/realpatient/notimportant bullcrap) that also know about this. I am not lying to damage Dr. Monegal's reputation, but the truth is the truth.

Now it even sounds more like LLuser bullcrap.

[LLSouthAmerica]

Now it even sounds more like LLuser bullcrap.

Well I tried, and when I say what I say it's important to me because it's my word but whatever.

Anyways, let's get back to Unicorn who is the main topic and we are all here to show our support.

[realpatient]

I'm a real patient. Yes he controls everybody here and what they post and he doesn't allow the slightest criticism but please go back to Unicorn

[Body Builder]

So you actually are a real patient, realpatient?
Would you tell us which doctor?
You are talking a lot about Monegal, but it could not be him, because every person who had a surgery with him, talks very positively about him, including Musicmaker.

The thing that Musicmaker speaks good for a doctor after a so bad outcome is a proof that Monegal manipulates what is writter here from his patients.

I hate my ex doctor for doing atl to my legs and make me 5 years after to do another surgery to have normal sport abilities again.
If I was at Musicmaker's position I would hate Monegal for not having functional legs years after the surgery.
So Helloworld you and the patients who had good outcomes have every reason to write good words about Monegal. But patients like Mucikmaker have no reason and it is really suspicious that they talk with so positive words although they have terrible results.
I really can't understand it and makes me very suspicious about Monegal's case.

@pizzagate: with about the same money you can go in Rozbruch and Paley who are the best in the world. With less money you can go in Pili or Burkholz. Even Monegal and Betz are better cases imo although there are much contradictions about them.
In a few words, every doctor mentioned here (except Indian ones) who does LL is a better choice than Guichet imo.

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

As I mentioned from the beginning, I'm a nerd and a stickler for details.  Here is a list of my complications :

1.  Eggshell fracture on left leg during surgery
2.  Left leg fractured fully 2 weeks later
3.  Lengthened gap of 3cm crushed to 0cm
4.  Non-union of the right leg
5.  Nail breaks during 3rd surgery
6.  Blood clot from marrow graft
7.  Hospitalization for wound site infection
8.  Runaway lengthening of right leg to 9.8cm (with non-union)
9.  Left leg genu valgum (inward rotation causing knock knees)

Perhaps some or all above could have been prevented with professional vigilance.  At a glance, you'd think someone made up a scary list to warn patients from going to back-alley facilities.

[Body Builder]

As I mentioned from the beginning, I'm a nerd and a stickler for details.  Here is a list of my complications :

1.  Eggshell fracture on left leg during surgery
2.  Left leg fractured fully 2 weeks later
3.  Lengthened gap of 3cm crushed to 0cm
4.  Non-union of the right leg
5.  Nail breaks during 3rd surgery
6.  Blood clot from marrow graft
7.  Hospitalization for wound site infection
8.  Runaway lengthening of right leg to 9.8cm (with non-union)
9.  Left leg genu valgum (inward rotation causing knock knees)

Perhaps some or all above could have been prevented with professional vigilance.  At a glance, you'd think someone made up a scary list to warn patients from going to back-alley facilities.

And all these from an "experienced" doctor who has some of the most expensive fees in the world.
I really wonder, especially after all these, how someone would give so much money to have surgery with a dr like him.

[realpatient]

The thing that Musicmaker speaks good for a doctor after a so bad outcome is a proof that Monegal manipulates what is writter here from his patients.

I hate my ex doctor for doing atl to my legs and make me 5 years after to do another surgery to have normal sport abilities again.
If I was at Musicmaker's position I would hate Monegal for not having functional legs years after the surgery.
So Helloworld you and the patients who had good outcomes have every reason to write good words about Monegal. But patients like Mucikmaker have no reason and it is really suspicious that they talk with so positive words although they have terrible results.
I really can't understand it and makes me very suspicious about Monegal's case.

@pizzagate: with about the same money you can go in Rozbruch and Paley who are the best in the world. With less money you can go in Pili or Burkholz. Even Monegal and Betz are better cases imo although there are much contradictions about them.
In a few words, every doctor mentioned here (except Indian ones) who does LL is a better choice than Guichet imo.

Inexplicably Musicmaker thinks he's hot. 'Hottest guy in the forum' (her words). She's a love-blind puppet and can be manipulated. Other patients are also manipulated.

As I mentioned from the beginning, I'm a nerd and a stickler for details.  Here is a list of my complications :

1.  Eggshell fracture on left leg during surgery
2.  Left leg fractured fully 2 weeks later
3.  Lengthened gap of 3cm crushed to 0cm
4.  Non-union of the right leg
5.  Nail breaks during 3rd surgery
6.  Blood clot from marrow graft
7.  Hospitalization for wound site infection
8.  Runaway lengthening of right leg to 9.8cm (with non-union)
9.  Left leg genu valgum (inward rotation causing knock knees)

Perhaps some or all above could have been prevented with professional vigilance.  At a glance, you'd think someone made up a scary list to warn patients from going to back-alley facilities.

I'm sorry Unicorn888. I hope you get better with NHS. I don't know if complications could have been avoided with professional vigilance. Musicmaker had similar issues but in Dr Monegal's case we don't know if he's clueless about what's happening or if he denies reality to justify himself. Cooper explained this in his diary

Late last year I went to see Dr. Rozbruch in New York to check on tibia. Immediately after reading x-ray he pointed out 3 major issues. 1) Provactum tibia bone curving 2) Fibula migrated up. 3) low callous and possible non-union 4) lost nerve on feet about 25% (not major but had to fix).  Dr. R advised to fixed all three and his assistant wrote a note which I forwarded monegal right away. I asked precisely to Dr. R what can be done with him. The answer was reverse everything and put external fixator for tibia and small monorail for tibia and lengthen. I was devastated to hear that!
I emailed monegal and hoped he can correct the issue. But he denied any of that need fix. Similar response to Crimson: ‘everything is fine'... He also advised me not see any LL specialist. I told him ok. But I was not stupid.

Monegal Issues: 1) Dishonest: His manipulates deliberately and black mailed his patient to write good things about him and defend him as often as necessary. You cannot trust this doctor and his patient specially from Spain!!!... 2)   Unethical: If you are not honest than you do not have ethics. Especially in this profession you want to go to doctor who respects patient rights, if something is not right than let the patient know and possible solution to fix. Just not to say everything will be ok. You need more time. ... 7)   Forum: He is using forum to fish new patient and anyone raised flag he tries to shut him off either by himself or through his patient. He gets mad to his patient if anyone writes bad thing and continuously monitor forum thread. He probably spends more time in forum than any of us out here. ... 9) Complication: Almost all of his patient has some complications. Many of them cannot walk without crutches. Complications includes but not limited to premature fitbone fracture, fitbone malfunctions, loose screws, serious nerve issue, misalignment and unkown. Unknown are other complications which patient does not know because they have not seen other LL specialist.

I'm sorry to post this quote in your diary but Cooper information is interesting to clear up the Monegal debate and banning him as an option.

[Auron]

Inexplicably Musicmaker thinks he's hot. 'Hottest guy in the forum' (her words). She's a love-blind puppet and can be manipulated. Other patients are also manipulated.

Monegal is hot as ****. I'm a straight guy but I would pick Monegal over Musicmaker any day! I feel so manipulated, my fingers are typing on their own.

[LLSouthAmerica]

I think the Monegal and Guichet debate is of no importance. Now that we have all the information on the table, each of us can reach his own conclusion. The result should be obvious for all so I won't write it.

I think what Unicorn does from now is what is most important. She is a great person who deserves the world! Eventually, all of this will be a bad story of her past and nothing more.

[helloworld]

Come on helloworld, you and I both know that it's because Dr. Monegal doesn't allow his patients to speak bad of him in the forum.

Musicmaker and I are good friends by now. And we share everything about LL experience with each other and she is saying in private the Monegal is best doc for LL.

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

I think the Monegal and Guichet debate is of no importance. Now that we have all the information on the table, each of us can reach his own conclusion. The result should be obvious for all so I won't write it.

I think what Unicorn does from now is what is most important. She is a great person who deserves the world! Eventually, all of this will be a bad story of her past and nothing more.

I cannot agree more with LLSouthAmerica here.  Definitely not a Guichet vs Monegal boxing match. 

Speaking from personal experiences, LLSouthAmerica and YellowSpike are both spot on, in their analysis of Guichet.  Including the fact that he's a very skilled surgeon who can make the procedure look easy the way an olympic ice skater makes a triple salchow look effortless.  As Cobalt pointed out, his repairs were impeccable.

And I do not disagree with the word genius being attributed to Guichet, because along with his IQ comes a lack of EQ.  As LLSouthAmerica stated, his treatment while technically proficient, is lacking a human element, and empathy is sometimes most needed when all else fails.

Funnily enough, I did choose Guichet partly because I was allergic to charming doctors.  Guichet being borderline rude, despotic and arrogant was initially celebrated by us patients as it represented the anti-thesis of a quack - conclusion, we were in safe hands.  However, when I was at my absolute lowest - in pain, unable to click, having lost my savings, alone, homeless and being robbed during move/renovation, Guichet's apathy becomes a liability.  His only obsession at that point being patient blaming and payment.  My coping mechanism went into overload and I was near suicidal.

A little kindness would have gone a very long way.  Having seen an NHS psychologist recently, what I went through is a harrowing example of psychological abuse, emotional trauma and PTSD.  And it is definitely the last thing a struggling patient needs from a doctor.

That said, let's see if empathy and charm can sort me out now.  Perhaps a dose of tough love is always needed with geniuses.

[realpatient]

I agree Unicorn's diary shouldn't be polluted with the boxing match. We can open a new thread. From my experience the only thing I can advice is beware of charm for charm is sometimes false. Dr Guichet was harsh from the beginning. Other doctors can be charming at first and then turn to Mr Hyde and attack their own patients like Helloworld and Musicmaker who had their asses sold to German.