For many years I suffered from periodic acute back spasms which were crippling. I underwent several rhizotomies (procedures which temporarily damage the nerves to block the transmission of pain.) I had these done at a "mill" without any local anesthetic and they were terribly painful. The results were not long-lasting. I am a 77 yr old physician, and an orthopedist friend recommended Dr. Hasan Abed. He again did rhizotomies, but with careful local anesthesia and I felt no pain. Unfortunately, the results were not durable, so he suggested a more aggressive procedure in a surgicenter under general anesthesia with more powerful probes and current. I have not had a single episode of crippling pain or back spasms since then, over 3 years ago. I did however have increasingly severe generalized back ache, leg weakness and limitation of movement due to lumbar stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) and several herniated disks.
About two years ago I underwent two lengthy neurosurgical procedures which were of no benefit and resulted in very painful recoveries. As my legs grew weaker, my back pain increased and my mobility was severely limited. I again contacted Dr. Abed who suggested considering bilateral long-acting steroid injections. He made no promises, but thought it would be worth a trial, both diagnostically and therapeutically. I had already consulted a neuromuscular specialist who had nothing to offer. Dr. Abed spent over 1 1/2 hours with me, reviewing my MRI's and other test results together, explaining the game plan, and doing the procedure. He is incredibly careful to avoid inflicting any pain, and I lost count of the number of syringes of lidocaine he injected before injecting the steroids. During the whole procedure we made pleasant small talk, and he would warn me that I was going to feel something, but I never felt anything more than the slightest pin prick, even when he injected large quantities of steroids on both sides of my spinal canal.
The result is nothing short of miraculous. I can walk for long distances without pain. I am now able to plan a trip to Europe that would have been impossible before the injections. My cardiovascular status is improving, after years of limited activity. I should also add that Hasan Abed is more than a doctor, he is a friend. When he hadn't heard from me after the neurosurgery, he emailed me to see how I was doing. We keep in touch regularly. He is the kind of physician I wanted to emulate when I went to medical school 50 years ago. They are few and far between. He is never rushed, gives personal attention, and makes every effort to make difficult procedures virtually pain free to the point that I actually look forward to seeing him for the over-all pleasant and caring experience. His office staff are pleasant and helpful. I should add that Dr. Abed has years of experience as a highly regarded cardiac anesthesiologist but returned for a pain management fellowship at a top-notch facility and now only specializes in pain management. If you are in pain, you will never find a better doctor or human being. read more