In 2011, I was diagnosed with both lumbar and thoracic spinal stenosis. My pain at that time was primarily from the lumbar area. A local Long Island, NY surgeon resolved that problem with X-Stop surgery by inserting a titanium spacer in the L4-5 area.
After a quick recovery from the lumbar procedure, I spent the next few years trying to avoid what I had been told would be a very extensive surgery including fusion to resolve my thoracic spine issues. This was the opinion of several surgeons.
By 2015, the symptoms related to my thoracic issues became more pronounced. I had been warned that the failure to address the problem could lead to paralysis due to impingement of the spinal cord. The surgeon who performed my lumbar surgery recommended extensive laminectomy with fusion. I decided to investigate other possibilities for more minimally invasive surgery. After much research, I found Dr. Arthur Jenkins. I e-mailed him directly with my concerns. He responded quickly and described his knowledge and experience in handling thoracic spinal stenosis using many modalities including minimally invasive techniques. Surgeries are not as common in the thoracic area so I was encouraged to find a surgeon with vast experience in this area.
At my initial appointment, I provided my recent MRI, and upon review, Dr. Jenkins informed me that a laminectomy/decompression T10-11 and T11-12 without fusion would be more than sufficient. As he thoroughly explained his recommendation for the less invasive procedure, I knew that he was the doctor whom I would place my full trust in.
A few weeks later, the surgery was performed successfully. I had a brief two-day stay under the capable care of the staff at Mount Sinai Hospital. The day after the surgery, I was happy to be walking the halls of the hospital with surprising ease. After coming home, I was able to enjoy long walks in the neighborhood. Six weeks later, I was back at work, and two months after the surgery, I was performing at shows on my guitar.
I am extremely grateful to Dr. Jenkins for helping me. I would be remiss to not mention his competent and professional office and medical assistant staff who are always accessible and caring.
As I continue to recuperate and return to all normal activities, I can reflect that choosing Dr. Jenkins as my surgeon was one of the best decisions I have ever made.