Testimonials

Tara Best

Since Tara Best could remember, she's always had a general pain in her back. But as Tara grew toward adulthood, it was discovered the pain was caused by scoliosis. Since the curvature in her spine was slight, her doctors decided to only monitor her condition and didn't take any immediate action. When Tara reached her mid-twenties, her pain worsened and she discovered that two discs in her back had degenerated.

Knowing she needed immediate help - and based on her mother's good experience - Tara began seeing Dr. Barton Sachs. Because the Scoliosis Center is a conservative spine clinic, Dr. Sachs considered alternatives other than surgery to ease her pain. Tara underwent physical therapy and was even given three rounds of cortisone injections, but unfortunately, none of them helped her condition.

As a nurse, Tara was finding that her 12-hour shifts at the hospital were taking a greater and greater toll on her physically. In addition, after her initial treatments, Tara got married and looked forward to someday having children. Dr. Sachs advised her that she could have a baby, but she probably would have to be bedridden for much of her pregnancy. And Tara knew the pain in her back would make it difficult to deal with the physical demands of motherhood. After speaking further with Dr. Sachs and her husband, she knew surgery was the best way to go to establish a better quality of life.

In December 2005, Tara underwent surgery and was surprised by the immediate pain relief. She had been deeply afraid that the surgery would be in-effective or, even worse, cause more damage, but Tara healed so fast she was able to go home after five days in the hospital. She recovered at home for eight weeks and engaged in physical therapy to strengthen her back.

Six months later, Tara found out she was pregnant and was thrilled she would be able to enjoy a trouble-free pregnancy and not have to worry about the physical requirements of motherhood. She was very pleased with Dr. Sachs and his staff, and has even recommended the surgery and the clinic to other people she has met in her physical therapy classes.

"I'm so happy I underwent the surgery," she says. "It was the best decision I have ever made."

Jessica LiBassi

At the young age of 10, Jessica LiBassi and her parents discovered she had scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, when she began to feel back pain. Since her case was mild, her pediatrician decided that "watchful waiting" was the best course, and did not take immediate action beyond monitoring her condition. As Jessica grew older, however, the pain in her back worsened.

Throughout her school years, the pain had an increasing impact on Jessica's life. She couldn't sit for long in class and couldn't fully participate in many of the activities her classmates enjoyed. When Jessica entered high school, she was already hoping for corrective surgery not only for the pain, but also to correct the deformity of her body caused by the scoliosis. She and her parents consulted with six different orthopedists, but none was willing to perform the surgery. Jessica began going to physical therapy, wore two different back braces and took epidural steroid injections, all to no effect.

As a nursing student, Jessica worked as a nanny to one-year-old twins. With her condition worsening and the twins growing, she found that she could no longer lift or play with them regularly. Jessica knew that if the pain continued there was no way she could be a nurse, which would require her to stand for long periods of time and lift patients. The final straw came when the pain was so severe after a day of back-to-back classes that she went home and cried. She ultimately was referred to Dr. Barton Sachs.

In April 2003, Jessica, who was 20 years old at the time, underwent a spinal fusion about one month after her initial visit with Dr. Sachs. Although she was concerned that the surgery wouldn't alleviate her pain - like other treatments she had tried before - or even make it worse, she knew that it was her best chance to start living the life she wanted to live.

After the surgery, Jessica spent three nights at the hospital before an additional eight-week recovery period at home, which included wearing a back brace and undergoing two more rounds of physical therapy. She felt immediate relief and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly she was able to engage in her old routine. Although it's been a year since she's had to see Dr. Sachs, Jessica still remembers the quality service provided by Dr. Sachs and his team. She has even recommended the surgery and the clinic to others.

This December, Jessica will graduate from nursing school and is excited to go into her career happier and healthier. She knows that without the surgery her life wouldn't have been easy and has said, "I wish I would have undergone the surgery much sooner. It was a great experience from start to finish."