Resurfacing - Dr. Thomas Gross

[mikey]

I would appreciate hearing from anyone with experience with Dr. Thomas Gross in Columbia, South Carolina. I am considering canceling my surgery in Atlanta and, instead, going to Columbia. Seems crazy because I can't get use to the idea that so little resurfacing is done here. Columbia doesn't seem like the hip surgery Mecca of America. This doctor has done over 1300 resurfacings since 1999. Below are links to a video interview and his website. I REALLY want to hear from the folks on this board. My email is [email protected]. All comment treated as confidential.

https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33536169

https://grossortho.com/doctor.htm

 

[Josephine]

Aaagh! I tried to watch that vid and four times it got about half way through and then reset itself!

However, what I saw of it was not bad. He has actually done 13 THOUSAND hips in that time (you left off a zero) which I worked out that in the nine years he has been doing is an average of about 1,400 per year! That's my kind of guy!

 

[JudyS]

Hi Mikey,
Go to S. Carolina. I lived in Atlanta for 10 years, in California now for 1 1/2 years. I started having major endocrinology issues and could not find an endocrinologist who would believe anything was wrong. They told me I was just aging. Through my research I found a wonderful endo in S. California. Felt crazy but I finally made an apt with him. I traveled almost 3,000miles to see him 3 years ago. I am so very glad I did.
I cannot imagine what terrible shape I would be in now if he had not started treating me. I have hypopituitarism which has caused a lot of bone and I believe cartilage issues among other things. Probably the reason for the hip replacement. I could not believe even at Emory I could not get help.
Good Luck,
Judy

 

[Alsheehan]

Hi, Mikey,
I'm new to the website, I live in SC, and am scheduled for LTHR in Augusta GA on June 23. While researching doctors in SC and GA, I went on Dr. Gross' website and found he didn't take Medicare at all. I felt that was very unsympathetic towards the 65+ population, and, since I just entered that category, he wasn't for me.
Best wishes,
Alice

 

[mikey]

Josephine, it really is 1350 resurfacings. He is doing 400-450 per year now. I suspect that in 1999 very few were done by anyone in the US. If you go to www.surfacehippy.info, you will see a list of dominant resurfacing surgeons in in the US and overseas. No one on the list comes close to this guy. So far his office is very helpful. His secretary gave me the cell phone number of his nurse practictioner. She answered when I called and was very informative. This doctor also does clinical research for some of the suppliers.

On his website he discloses, under his mission statement, any potential conflicts. Seems very above board. If I send him my xrays he will discuss my case personally with me over the phone. I can also have the required bone density test in Atlanta and fax it to his office. This is required to see if I am a candidate.

The doctors here don't want to resurface and ususally use the excuse that I'm too old, age 59. Dr. Gross has had a cut off of age 65, but in the video states he is raising it to 70.

 

[mikey]

You may still be able to get Medicare to reinburse you some of the surgeons fee. His fees are actually on his web site. I thought this was incredible. What trasparency!!

He has a dicounted fee for a hip of $6,000. The hospital would accept Medicare Reimbursment. I hope this helps.