I would not recommend OrthoArizona after my recent experience leading up to, during and after my rotator cuff surgery. In my case, Dr. Jarbo is suppossed to have an excellent reputation, but I think he is overly busy, therefore his specific practice as an Orthopedic Surgeon suffers because he is not able to provide the time or ensure the resources necessary for the full preparation before surgery, successful execution during surgery and care after surgery are in place for his patients. The coordination to get all the necessary sign-offs for the surgery was lacking in that a form that specialists could fill out was not provided which caused me, the patient to get extensively involved. Also, the requirements for the surgery was not followed up on from their end, I required an electric scooter or wheel chair, which my insurance can provide upon a properly filled out order from the doctor. I still do not have a wheelchair at least nearly 2 weeks after my surgery. Therefore, I am confined to my house and using a quad pod cane and walls
This BIGGEST issues occurred on the day of surgery and right afterwards. On the day of my surgery, I was there on time and everyone else was ready except for the anesthesiologist, who I could hear had been pulled from my surgery to the catheter lab at the hospital connected to the surgery center. I was delayed. It was such a long delay that I could hear the doctor went for breakfast and offered to get the nursing staff breakfast too. Then when the new anesthesiologist arrived for my surgery she was confused, disoriented as to where things were and even which items in packages to use. She also had a "deer in the headlights" look about her. The surgical nurse came helped her and the two appeared to administer the nerve block talking about the positioning of the needly which I could also see on the ultrasound screen.
Unfortunately, the nerve block was either too much or too close to the nerve that controls your diaphragm for breathing because when they wheeled me into the operating room in a sitting position I could breathe Ok, however when I laid down upon transferring to the operating table, I said I could not breathe. My complaint was dismissed. I was told by one of the people, I think the surgical nurse, that the nerve block can do that sometime, but once the anaesthia was administered I would be fine. When the confused and unsure anesthesiologist went to administer the anesthesia, she pushed it all into the IV, however she did not notice the blood pressure cuff was inflating and cutting off my circulation. The anesthesia was backed up like a balloon in my vein and burning it. I screamed loudly and said my arm was on fire and the IV was burning me. There was lots of commotion and I blanked out for the surgery.
The surgery supposedly went fine, I was never talked to, but my spouse was by Dr. Jarbo. However upon discharge, the problems really started once I got home and the anesthesia fully wore off. The confused anesthesiologist had gotten too close to a nerve and paralyzed by diaphragm. I could not breathe and was told
my the on-call doctor at OrthoArizona to go to the closest ER right away. Great, now I am being rushed to the Mayo ER 1.5 miles away. They confirmed that yes, the never block had paralyzed my diaphragm and I had to stay for observation until it would wear off. All the while my heart is beating 120-140 beats a minute to circulate enough oxygen from what breathing I could do. It was a long 14 hours of adrenaline and slowly recovering a situation I identified before any of the doctors or staff gave me the anesthesia, but they refused to listen to the dumb patient. In the end at least I was alive and able to take really deep breathes.
I have heard from anyone at OrthoArizona, no. HonorHealth Outpatient Surgical Center, no. The anesthesiologist, who has to know she had screwed up at least on administering the anesthesia, no! The only people who have followed up multiple times are Mayo Hospital to make sure I am not having the same symptoms. SAD! read more