Dr Luiz Pimenta BRAZIL

[mark-Perth]

Prof. Dr. Luiz Pimenta
IPC | Instituto de Patologia da Coluna
Specialist in minimally invasive spine surgery
Rua Vergueiro nº1.421, sala: 305, São Paulo – SP – Brasil
Telephone: (11) 5572.8912 / (11) 5571.9933
Contact details: Rafael Amaral -Administrative Manager
rafael@luizpimenta.com.br

Dr Pimenta is a specialist in minimally invasive spine surgery in Sao Paulo, Brasil. All aspects of spine surgery are available from his extremely helpful staff with Santa Rita hospital and his office located close by the safe business district around Paulista Ave.

Contact Rafael for help with any spine problems.

http://www.luizpimenta.com.br/?idioma=eng

http://www.luizpimenta.com.br/?idioma=br

http://www.patologiadacoluna.com.br/

[Justin]

Mark, thank you for posting the information above! I've been meaning to post Dr. Pimenta's info.

[mark-Perth]

Just to let everyone know. Dr Pimenta's receptionist unfortunately does not speak english so email may be the easiest way to contact them, unless you speak portugese! Nearly everyone else in the office speaks alittle english though so communiation isnt too hard if U can get thru. I did get thru on the phone eventally but it took many attempts before finally being put thru to Rafael and then Dr Pimenta which totally shocked me for him to talk to me straight away. It would be much easier to email Rafael and arrange to send them your scans to be looked over and then arrange a time for a phone call or email regarding what help can be given.

The contact section on his website (talk to me) also wasnt working previously and there are also other older email adress's (hotmail & yahoo) that also no longer work. The contact details above is correct but if there are any problems or you do not get a reply send me a PM and I will see if I can hurry things along.

The service I was given by Dr Pimenta and his staff was amazing and far exceeded every other surgeon I dealt with and I cant recommend him high enough. If anything it was way too easy which scared me alittle as I just couldnt believe it could be as easy as it was. It was though

The hospital was great with standards similar to what is in Australian hospitals and the nurses were amazing and . There was one that spoke perfect english that stayed for my entire stay and would explain everything that I questioned which really helped. Others spoke alittle or no english but were extremely helpful and would always get the english speaking nurse to explain everything if there was any concerns with what they were giving me. They really went out of there way to help and it was far from stressful.

The costs in Brazil were also much less than what I was quoted by surgeons in Germany and its also much closer to the US so im sure it would be worth consulting with him. I wasnt at all thinking of the costs before my surgery, I just wanted the best possible chance of success so it was definately a big surprise that the costs were substantially less.

The recovery from my surgery was also amazingly quick due to being minimally invasive surgery which is Dr Pimenta's specialty and he has also helped in the development of many minimally invasive surgery approaches including the presacral AXIALF and extreme lateral XLIF. The cuts I have from my latest surgery are 1/3 to 1/4 the size of the original ADR surgery incision so that surely must make a huge difference in recovery and trauma from the surgery.

The hospital and Dr Pimentas office are about 500m apart and in a nice and safe area of Sao Paulo. Its in the business district which also has a large shopping centre about a km further up the road as well. Everything that is needed is available close by with plenty of great restaurants including the famous Brasilian Steakhouses and the main park is also not far down the road as well which is nice to walk around. Its a massive city though so you wouldnt want to have to travel along way all the time as traffic can be bad.

There are many hotels within walking distance of the hospital. There is a huge range as well from cheap basic hotels to 5 star. You can get a good 4 star hotel for about $100US/night. The last few nights I had to get moved to the penthouse (shame bout that) and that was only $100US/night as I had been at the hotel for 2 weeks already and they did me a great price. It was over 100sqm with a massive king size bed, 3 couches and a huge bathroom. It was big enough that I could walk around to exercise in the morning!

Please email me if you would like any more info on it or if I can be of any help to you.

Im sure Dr Pimenta will be able to help where other surgeons couldnt or wouldnt. He is a great Surgeon and person as well.

[rose]

Hi Mark, good to hear about you. Very happy that your "ordeal" is over.

Take care and best wishes.
Rose

[Katie]

Thanks for posting all of this Mark. I'm sending my MRIs over to him for a consult, and your post helps with the concern about that, with the distance and all.

I'm glad you have found your hard fought relief. You deserve it after all the work you have done.

[RLMIAMI]

Mark, your posts have been extremely helpful to me, just the information i needed the most, thank you for giving unselfishly. i have been studying NuVasive website and Dr Pimenta's impressive resume when i found your posts, it gave me the confidence to call his office yesterday, today i sent him an email. it looks like i found the surgeon i have been waiting for!.

I have bilateral L5 nerve compression by L4-5 bulging and centrally protruded disc. the symptom level is 4-5/10 95% of the time, It has been going on for 4 years. until now I took the advise of Richard D. Guyer, M.D. whom i met in a spine conference in 2007, to suffer quietly, implying that it is the best course of action. another physician, a neurosurgeon begged me not to have surgery. all together i saw 8 surgeon in official consultation, It is ironic to note that in the spine conference i attended all the speakers stated that if it came to themselves they would not have the surgeries themselves, they would "grin and bear". The question is, can surgery make me better with a reasonable chance of complications?. can i just have one surgery? and be home free for a while. I am ready to take a reasonable chance, I want my life back. It looks like Dr Pimenta is a world class operator in his skills and empathy. I am going to be passing through Sao Paulo on 1/5/10 on the way back to Miami, would a visit to the facility be helpful, because Dr Pimenta is not going to be there until march of 2010. I would like to get your input regarding the risk benefit ratio of surgery, considering your personal experience.

Annette
L4-5 central disc protrusion and bulge 2/2006
40 DRX9000 treatment, 20% improvement
botox 2X, 15% relief for 3 month.
Enbrel perispinal 3x, 15% relief for 3 month.
leg and back pain 4-5/10 95% of time, no meds

[rose]

[QUOTE= . I am going to be passing through Sao Paulo on 1/5/10 on the way back to Miami, would a visit to the facility be helpful, because Dr Pimenta is not going to be there until march of 2010. I would like to get your input regarding the risk benefit ratio of surgery, considering your personal experience.


Annette, did you hear that Dr. Pimenta is NOT going to be at his clinic til Mar 2010???

Then it is going to be hard to get hold of him.

Rose

[Katie]

Annette, do you mean that Dr. Pimenta is not going to be in Sao Paulo until March 2010? That he is going to be away for almost three months?

I have had the same 'good advice' from numerous doctors for the past four years as well. Only one has agreed to do surgery, but because of allergies, I cannot find an appliance here to use yet in Canada.

My good friend has been playing Devil's Advocate, asking all the evil questions that need to be asked. Questions like "what's the worst that could happen...could you end up a quad in a wheelchair AND still be in pain?" And "How many failures have these surgeons had that no one will discuss?"

And she's right...I can't answer those questions, and I can't find any one who will either.

How do we find the answers to these, seriously? If we had the truth to all these types of questions, it would make our decisions so very much easier. Has anyone been able to break through this wall and shared it?

[RLMIAMI]

Katie, Rose

I am a physician in Miami, many of my patients are Brazilian natives, the other day one of my patients spoke with the secretary in Portuguese, the information was obtained through him. I am expecting another Brazilian patient today, I was planning to call again anyway. Dr. Pimenta is going to be in the U.S. mostly in San Diego, I believe it is NuVasive headquarters site. I spoke with a research assistant who told me that the surgery could be performed in the United States if I want it before he returns to Sao Paulo. He mentioned that the team in Sao Paulo is very experienced. I will let you know if I have more information.
Annette

[RLMIAMI]

I just realized that Dr. Pimenta responded to my email. That is the best Hanukkah gift ever. He has got a sense of humor stating "as you know every surgical procedure has 0% complications". I called his office but, I guess they are off celebrating Christmas.Quoting from Dr. Pimenta 's email "Happy holidays (specially a new year with less pain and limitations!) Merry Christmas everybody. Annette