I thought I remembered you posting before but can't find your previous ones so - welcome, or welcome back. Obviously, this is an excellent place to get feedback from other patients. Probably alot of folks on vacation this week though.

Do you have the exact description of the surgical procedure your doctor describes? The reason I ask is that "myectomy" and "myotomy" seem to be different medical terminology (yet their descriptions sound similar to me in the medical dictionary). I know no one who has had a PCA "myectomy" but do know someone who has had a PCA "myotomy," from Drs. Berke and Blumin over two years ago.

It's Colleen Hernandez and she posts on this BB periodically. Search out some of her posts and contact her. She may be able to offer some information. Also, she posted a report on her surgery, on this BB, on July 11, 2001 so it should still be available in the archives. Colleen has been quite willing to support other prospective AB surgical patients, being a Patient-Contact for her surgery (left partial PCA myotomy).

That being said (as a surgical patient myself), I'd recommend trying another otolaryngologist first, regarding your AB Botox shots, prior to giving up and deciding on surgery. Four shots is not that many really, although the ineffectiveness must be highly disappointing to you. Some docs are *so much better* at it than others. You may need a real expert to hit the right place in that laryngeal muscle. From what I've heard from other patients, alot of docs are afraid of injecting the PCA muscle as it's so tied into respiratory functions.

There is such uniqueness in all of us patients; but, in addition, AB is more difficult to treat with *both* Botox and surgery. Finding a doc who is highly-skilled in injecting the PCA muscle seems to be "key" though. Always good to explore other available options (all of them), prior to having surgery.

Best of luck, Raymond, and let us know how this progresses.