LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With QuoteYAY FOR YOU JUSTIN!!!!! GIGANTIC CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
This is a discussion on Update: I passed my Medical Boards! within the The Lounge forums, part of the Social and Support Forums category; Hey Everyone, Thanks for all of the emails and private messages filled with well wishes regarding my Medical Boards. I ...
Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Hey Everyone,
Thanks for all of the emails and private messages filled with well wishes regarding my Medical Boards.
I wanted to post an update: I just found out that I passed!
You guys are awesome!
Justin Averna
Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
www.SpinePatientSociety.org
A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization
I'm here to help.
- 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
- 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
- 3/7/1997, 17 years old: Laminotomy L4/L5
- 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
- 11/15/2003, 23 years old: 2-Level ProDisc® L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
- 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
- 5/14/2009, 29 years old: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org
Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! YAY FOR YOU JUSTIN!!!!! GIGANTIC CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
• January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
• June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
• April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
• April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
• July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
• July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
• August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
• March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
• April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
• September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
• December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
• December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
• February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
July 18, 2011
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Well done, thats amazing!
Alison 46 year old female
2011 Aug PLIF L4/L5 - L5/S1 both adr in situ
2010 May - Discogram on L2/L3 & L3/L4, neither pain generators
2009 May - Failed revision fusion on L5/S1 with Charite ADR in situ
2008 Caudal epidural exacerbated nerve symptoms. Prolapse L2/L3
2007 L5/S1 Facet deterioration
Brilliant 5 years, no pain only minor motor problems and residual nerve damage
2002 March - ADR Charite - L4/5, L5/S1
2000 Disc prolapses L4/5, L5/S1
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Hi Justin,
Congratulations!!!I didn't know your were going for anything. What do you plan to do or go into?
Best regards,
Rob
- ~50 years old
- Back pain for ~25 years
- Spondylolisthesis Grade 2 L5/S1
- DDD L4/L5 & L5/S1
- Positive discogram L4/L5 & L5/S1
- Prior PT & injections to no great avail
- 360 degree fusion L4/L5/S1
- Surgery March 15, 2010
- ALIF with Posterior Stabilization Hardware
- Emory University Orthepaedics & Spine Hospital (Atlanta, GA)
- Currently doing really well - 85% improvement (Sept 2011)
- Hardware removel (4-pedical screws & 2-rods) October 3, 2011
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Of course you did, silly...but I guess it feels very good to have it confirmed!You are going to be an awesome doc, whatever the field you choose; after all you've been through, you'll be one of the few with empathy for the patients.
Severe compression of spinal cord, flaval ligament, etc. at C4/5 & 5/6.
Herniation and compression, at L3/4 to L5/S1 plus spondylosis at the latter level. Severe allergy to most metals.
Three level surgery in Brazil with Dr. Luiz Pimenta on March 17/2010 using non-metal appliances. L5/S1-PEEK cage, ALIF; L4/5-PEEK cage, XLIF; C5/6-NuVasive NeoDisc. Three separate approaches, two minimally invasive. Currently minor residual back pain, from SI ligament and still overdoing things. Therapy and chiropractic treatments helping immensely. Gone from being almost bedridden to near normal activities including gardening. Life is gooooood!
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Awesome, Justin! Nice work!
Spine Noob
April 2007 - Injured one cervical C6/C7 and one lumber L5/S1 in same accident
No major treatments so far aside from exercising and core strengthening best I can.
Never, ever, ever, give up.
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Yea Justin
What a great feeling of accomplishment you must be feeling.
You will be a fantastic Doc, maybe spine surgeon ?
Congratulations
Gil
L5-S1 lam 1994
L2 to L5 DDD
L3 -L4 hern Dec 2007.
L4-L5 Annular fissure with mild central stenosis and moderate facet hypertrophy.
L5-S1 bilaterial neural foraminal narrowing with inferior effacement.
L2-L3 Right-sided neural foraminal narrowing
L3-L4 related to posterolateral hypertrophic spurs and facet hypertrophy.
C3-C4 limited DDD
15 injections Depo. P.T. 18 months 9 dose packs,
Nerve Block Injections.4 ESI S1
L5-S1 Foraminotomy 09
L4-L5 Microdiscectomy 09 ReHerniation 4-2010
Surgery 6-29-11 L4-L5-S1 Decompression Fusion L5-S1 and Coflex F implants
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! Great Job!!!! Have you picked an area of practice or speciality yet? (My asking of that question reminds me of a card my mom gave me on my wedding day, It read "Congratulations!" on the front, "When are you going to have a baby?" on the inside- LOL)
31 years old-
1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain and medication free as of October 2010!
Mommy to Emma- 8 years, Ava- 5.5 years & had baby Eli after ADR, via c-section on March 25, 2011, completely pain free still!
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards!
WOOHOO!!!! Way to go Justin! Inside I think we all knew you could do it but what a feeling it must be to know you have officially passed the boards. Congratulations buddy, you will make such a fantastic doctor with so much first hand experience of issues and pain I think a lot of doctors dont know.
Re: Update: I passed my Medical Boards! That is great, congratulations!
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks