Approved

Today insurance called me to tell me I was approved for reconstruction with an INFUSE bone graft. I was expecting them to blow me off, but it’s nice that the case manager actually took the time to call me back.

There is a small part of me that somehow expects this to get messed up, but we’ll wait and see. Can it be this easy?

Read Full Post »

Meeting with surgeon

Today, I met with my surgeon again. We talked about using rhBMP2 with absorbable collagen sponges (ACS) to fill in the defect that will exist after he removes the posterior part of my mandible.

Things we discussed:

• This is an off-label use. BMP2 approved for orthoped, sinus lifts, not mandibular reconstruction of defects
• Infuse Helpline that told them (huh?)
• 2 week deadline self imposed by insurance company
• my CT scan looked unchanged from the previous one

As a side note, I really would like a copy of my current CT scan, but sometimes surgeons take this as a “we’re breaking up” signal. I didn’t realized this until I went through it with surgeon #1, even though he went on about how open he was going to be about the whole process. Yeah, right, well it didn’t quite work out that way. I’d rather not upset the apple cart now, I’ll ask after surgery and take my DVD burner with me so I can make a copy 🙂

I also had read, maybe in Garg, that a membrane was required to keep soft tissue from growing into the graft. He said it wasn’t required with the titanium mesh he was planning to use.

We talked about recurrence some more. He said in the number of ameloblastomas resected, none have recurred.

I asked him which plate – 2.4mm or 2.7mm. He said that Synthese makes a 2.9mm plate. The “size” doesn’t refer to the plate dimensions but to the screw size. Bigger is still better. And I should be warned that sometimes plates can fracture, even after the bone has grown back. If there is bone there that can bear the stresses, they just left the plate in.

So here’s the remaining timeline:

1. Schedule surgery
2. Call or email my former orthodontist, which he will do – so he can put the brackets on teeth, these can go on anytime
   wait till close too surgery, better gum closure without wires around teeth
3. have 3D model done – 1 week or two
4. prebend plate on model
5. do operation

He said I should bring medical power of attorney to the hospital on day of surgery.

And I should discuss the various aspects of the advance directive. Such as to ressucitate or not, full code? – in the event that heart stops – what actions to you want to be taken, worst case – anoxic brain injury, vegetable, if this happens, what would you like to do – he said attorney should
have form.

I asked if there is a denial of bmp2, can we still do surgery and I pay for it? He said he’s requested conventional surgery, resection and reconstruction and that this would cost for first day in hospital $24K, $10-11K per each additional day. He would argue the point that using this would decrease hospital stay and hip morbidity which would overall save them money. He may have to argue with their staff oral surgeon reviewer.

He said he probably see me one more time before surgery, I should bring my partner to the next meeting.
Eating – will probably rubber band or wire teeth, 1-2 weeks. More comfortable – less muscle movement,
closure of gum good, diet book he’ll give me, propped up with 4-5 pillows for first week to prevent
turning. Rinse with chlorhexidine. Liquid antibiotics, medication.

Looking 3-4 weeks, later for surgery.

We’d leave brackets on for about 6 weeks.
Needs to see me a week before surgery.
Determination for infuse, this is a reason why he’s scheduling this 4 weeks out.

And I had a preliminary surgery date of the 22nd.

They talked to my insurance, bone graft with infuse is CPT code 21215 with a modifier of -52.

Read Full Post »