Exhaustive List of Pudendal Surgeons Spring 2025

[bartland]

I spent a few months doing exhaustive research to find all pudendal decompression surgery options. Sadly I ended up being told by more than 1 surgeon that they do not think surgery will help me because I had transgluteal decompression surgery 22 years ago. But it would be a shame for all of this research to go to waste, so I’m sharing it here in case it can help some of you find healing.

Some general notes
• Many pudendal surgeons only treat female patients, because OBGYN specialists are the most common doctors who do pudendal surgery. For that reason, as a male, I am going to point out which doctors treat both male and female patients, and list these first so that they are easier to find.
• In all cases, the surgeon’s fees are the minority of the charge; hospital fees are obnoxiously high. All of the surgeons will require you to have a pelvic MRI as part of your records.
• Single Case Agreements – assuming our current idiot-in-chief doesn’t repeal the Affordable Care Act, the ACA has a loophole for us if your insurance has no one in network who can perform a medically necessary procedure, the Single Case Agreement. This is particularly important because most doctors who perform pudendal surgery are not in network for any insurance, or only in network for very good PPO plans which are not available to many of us who cannot work due to our medical issues. In these cases, the doctor’s office may be open to working out a Single Case Agreement with your insurance which would allow you to pay what you would pay if there was an in-network provider available to offer the surgery.


Versions of Decompression Surgery
There appear to currently be 3 versions of the decompression surgery:
• Transgluteal ala Dr Robert – these surgeons do some version of the technique pioneered by Dr Robert in Nantes France. (the original version of pudendal decompression surgery) This technique has been described to me by surgeons as coming at the potential problem areas more “from the top”, i.e. the area where the sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments wrap around the pudendal nerve.
• Transgluteal ala Dr Dellon – these surgeons do some version of the technique created by A. Lee Dellon, in Baltimore. This technique has been described to me by surgeons as coming at the potential problem areas more “from the bottom”, i.e. the area of the Alcock’s Canal.
• Laparoscopic – recovery from the procedure itself is MUCH easier than from transgluteal, but the surgeons are notably more limited in what places around the nerve they can access. Most laparoscopic surgeons said they cannot access the Alcock’s Canal area at all. These also tend to be surgeons who only see female patients.



Surgeons
I’m going to structure the list of surgeons like this:
1. Surgeons in the USA – Transgluteal
2. Surgeons in the USA – only treat females
3. Surgeons outside of the USA
4. Surgeons to avoid



Surgeons in the USA – Transgluteal
Mark Conway (Nashua NH, very close to Boston)
603-883-3365
https://stjosephhospital.com/provider/mark-conway-md/
Does transgluteal surgery ala Dr Robert.
Dr Conway was my top choice for surgery, when I thought it was an option. More details:
• Treats male patients.
• Has done hundreds of this procedure.
• His office has worked on Single Case Agreements with insurance many times for out of state patients, and out of country.
• He does free initial telemed consult. If he considers you a good candidate for surgery, Prior Auth Dept moves forward and starts process of working with your insurance.
• He does in person evaluation on same trip as surgery, can be day before. Only does surgery on Thursdays and Fridays.
• Have to stay in hospital for 1 night, can go home at any point after that.
• His surgery coordinator Eileen was very helpful and friendly.
• His fees for the procedure are super-cheap compared to other surgeons. Unfortunately his hospital offers no financial assistance options for anyone who is not a resident of New Hampshire.

REFERRAL INFO
Mark A. Conway, MD
NPI: 1538145040
Tax ID: 0202 222 15

St.Joseph Hospital Ob/Gyn Midwifery
168 Kinsley St. Ste. 20, Nashua, NH 03060
Office : 603-883-3365
Fax: 603-883-5758

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Chris Lakhiani (Shrewsbury NJ)
833-650-1528
https://www.advancedreconstruction.com/ ... -physician
Does transgluteal surgery ala Dr Dellon.
• They are a big operation with massive online presence, so they show up for pudendal surgery no matter what location you type into google. Note that they only do this surgery in New Jersey, no matter how it shows up online.
• His office has a very complicated process. First you have to fill out a lot of information via email and send records, then you have to schedule a free consultation with a Nurse Practitioner, then if she feels it is appropriate for you to move forward, you schedule a telemed consult with Dr Lakhiani for $250, then they consider surgery. Also note that for some reason they require you to have had a lumbar MRI, despite the pudendal nerve roots not being anywhere in the lumbar region.
• His office will work on Single Case Agreements with your insurance

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Andrew Elkwood (Shrewsbury NJ) – NO LONGER DOING SURGERY
I’m listing Dr Elkwood here because he has been referenced many times on the forum. However, I was informed by his office that he no longer performs surgery, and is focusing exclusively on administrative tasks of running the practice.

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A. Lee Dellon (Baltimore, MD) – MAY NO LONGER BE DOING SURGERY
I didn’t consult with Dr Dellon because I had surgeries with him in the past for a different issue that were very expensive, and did not work. However he seems to be a very competent surgeon, and his office manager (his wife) is better at negotiating Single Case Agreements than any other medical practice I’ve ever encountered. He is not in network for any insurance.
I’m also not sure if he is still practicing, as his old website does not appear to be active any longer.

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Michael Hibner (Scottsdale AZ)
480-599-9682
https://azccpp.com/contact/

Dr Hibner seems to be the undisputed expert at treating pudendal neuralgia, but he is HIDEOUSLY EXPENSIVE and not in network with any insurance. He appears to only be an option if you are rich.

• Does transgluteal surgery ala Dr Robert with many notable modifications developed by Dr Hibner to increase chance of success.
• Not in network for any insurance.
• Initial consultation fees are $875.00 if in person, or $500 for telemed.
• Surgeon’s fees for a nerve decompression surgery on only one side of the body are $31,059.10. This does not include the even more expensive hospital fees.
• His office will do Single Case Agreements but I was told “You will still likely owe around $20,000 after SCA.”

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Anthony Echo (Houston TX)
713-280-3272
• Will NOT do Single Case Agreements. He must be in-network for your insurance or he will not see you.
• He has a lot of experience doing pudendal decompression surgery. His medical assistant said he does about 1 per week.



Surgeons in the USA – only treat females
Nicholas Fogelson (Portland OR)
(503) 715-1377
https://www.nwendometriosis.com/

• Dr Fogelson considered doing pudendal decompression surgery on me because he had previously done a different specialized surgery on me. However, he typically only does pudendal decompression on female patients.
• He is now out of network for all insurance and retains a law firm to help with negotiating payment. Out of pocket surgeon’s fees without insurance are $4500-6500
• When asked what areas do you address in this procedure? He said "You can only reach from the origin of the nerve to the very beginning of the Alcock’s canal. You cannot open up the entire Alcock canal, which has to be accessed transgluteally."

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I only have minimal information on other doctors who only see female patients because they had nothing to offer me, but I will list them so that they can be referenced by females.

Ashley Gubbels (Cleveland OH)
216-445-2800
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/30 ... ey-gubbels
Director of Pudendal Neuralgia Association, says she does minimally invasive surgery and pudendal is one of her specialties.
She only sees female patients but I was told by her office that she has a colleague who does the procedure on male patients:
Ly-Hoang Roberts
216-444-5600
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/30 ... ng-roberts
NOTE: Dr Roberts has only been fully in practice (post- residency) for 2 years.

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Dr Shakiba (Boston) - only sees female patients. I apologize that I no longer have this doctor’s contact information.
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Dr Kohli (Boston) - only sees female patients. I apologize that I no longer have this doctor’s contact information.



Surgeons outside the USA
Necelio Lemos (Toronto, Canada & Brazil)
President of the International Society of Neuropelveology (ISoN)
416-586-4800 extension 4991
https://www.sinaihealth.ca/physicians/nucelio-lemos
His Toronto clinic doesn't accept patients outside of his area, and typically has a 6-9 month wait to be seen. They recommended contacting his Brazil clinic:
Recepcao@increasing.com.br
11 98 102 0372

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Ana Sierra (Mexico City, Mexico)
Doyenne Endometriosis Clinic
+52 55 9164 1966
https://institutodoyenne.com/neuropelviologia/

Does laparoscopic surgery, told me in a consultation that she can only get to Sacrospinous ligament laparoscopically, but not to the Sacrotuberous ligament or the Alcock’s Canal
Her assistant’s email is lifeobgynedomex@gmail.com

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Endo Global Group (Tijuana, Mexico)
844-241-9400
https://endoglobal.org/
Has 2 doctors who can perform laparoscopic pudendal decompression surgery. These doctors live and primarily practice in other areas, but they fly to Tijuana to treat patients a few times per year. This practice is focused on offer concierge-type treatment for americans to fly into San Diego, and be transported across the border, put up in a hotel, receive all MRIs/etc, and have surgery in the same trip. I believe the cost was about $10,000.

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Eric Bautrant (France)
https://www.cliniqueaxium.fr/en/special ... c-bautrant

• Does laparoscopic surgery
• Very hard to contact, and my attempts ultimately got a single reply and then subsequent messages got no response. Sent an email to chir.gyneco@l-avancee.fr and a message via this page https://www.cliniqueaxium.fr/en/contact
• Read on the pudendal hope forum that someone had laparoscopic surgery done by him in Nov 2024 viewtopic.php?t=11605

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Marc Possover (Zurich) - inventor of neuropelveology
https://www.possover.com/en/marc-possover
• Does laparoscopic surgery
• They send you a form that has to be filled out before there is any chance of a consultation or cost estimate.

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Renaud Bollens (Belgium)
https://www.pudendalsurgery.com/dr-renaud-bollens
• Does laparoscopic surgery
• Seems to be quite an expert, but his surgeon’s fees are $30,000USD so you’ve got to be rich to see him.



Surgeons to avoid
Daniel H Kim (Houston TX)
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! I had a consultation with this doctor, forced on me by BCBSTX. This was the rudest, most arrogant, condescending piece of shit doctor I have ever met in MANY years of dealing with the medical system. It felt like he was yelling at me, he wouldn’t let me speak (kept cutting me off when I tried to speak, ask questions, or even answer question he asked me. Realistically, he is a spinal surgeon who also lists about 20 other surgeries he says he will do, and he hasn’t done many pudendal surgeries. I think my coming in as an informed patient and asking hard questions triggered his ego/god complex.

Aaron G Filler (Santa Monica CA)
HAD TONS OF HORRIBLE REVIEWS ON PUDENDAL FORUM AND ELSEWHERE, ABOUT FAILED SURGERIES AND HORRIBLY EXPENSIVE

[bartland]

If anyone knows of surgeons I didn't I coude here, feel free to list them in the comments for others to find.

[Violet M]

Thanks for all of that information, Bartland,

There are a few more listed on https://www.pudendalhope.info/list-of-doctors-2/

[Cisco2018]

Has anyone had decompression surgery with Dr. Echo? What method does he do? Outcomes? thx

[bartland]

Has anyone had decompression surgery with Dr. Echo? What method does he do? Outcomes? thx

Method: His office said he does transgluteal decompression surgery. But I have no information about outcomes.

[jobby99]

Dr. Ly Hoang Roberts at Cleveland Clinic is a good doctor (edit: she has left the Cleveland Clinic as of late December). She has good bedside manner and does some in office testing after you assume the position on the table with legs up. She does try to order compounded medication to stick up your butt to relax pelvice floor, which is super expensive for most people. She recommends pelvic floor therapy, but the therapists at Cleveland Clinic basically teach you how to use a squatty potty and do a handful of exercises. PT is booked solid for month at a time, so difficult to see them even if you were getting better with PT. Dr. Roberts does not push surgery and honestly is only post-residency a few years so probably does not have a ton of experience with the knife. Cleveland Clinic in general is ultra-conservative when it comes to surgery so generally you are safe, but experience matters to get good results.

[jobby99]

Has anyone had decompression surgery with Dr. Echo? What method does he do? Outcomes? thx

Method: His office said he does transgluteal decompression surgery. But I have no information about outcomes.

Dr. Echo is very busy and you must do a pre-surgery clearance before they will schedule the surgery. In my case, United Healthcare held up the scheduling of surgery for 4 months + 3 months for cardiology (EKG and history) and internal medicine (bloodwork) + clinic manager vacation (2 weeks). Compounding the situtation, the office never communicated these requirements to me in person at the office visit. I find pre-scheduling requiment attached to my electronic chart as a letter. Very frustrating! In general, they correspond via email from clinical manager (generally quick). I am probably changing insurance next year to original Medicare, since Mayo Clinic and most everybody takes it. Not sure if Echo takes it, but would see someone else unless I had to see him.

Here is his schedule of events for surgeries (in general):
1. Meet with Anesthesia on a Tuesday
2. Meet with Dr. Echo on a Wednesday
3. Have surgery on Thursday
4. Meet with Dr. Echo on Friday

They expect family to be with you the whole time, but I would assume family could just pick you up from surgery like most hospital systems to suffice the legal requirements of the state, if they could not get whole week off of work.

[jobby99]

I did not have pudendal surgery with Dr. Echo, but did get good results with a different surgery for different nerves. He removed some hernia mesh and staples for me and created peripheral nerve interfaces for the nerves involved, so they don't communicate pain messages to the brain. He was honest and told me never to have any more surgeries on the area, which I already knew he was the last shot. Now, I want to take care of the same nerves on the other side with same problem and secretary ignores emails. I read on mychart that the PA said I was not interested in any more surgery, which I never said. Either way, like most PA they probably are writing what the doctor wants to hear instead of reality. She never responded to my mychart message, so no idea what she thinks now. I guess if you are a new shiny patient, they will probably be nice to you but may grow weary if you send them multiple messages outside of your appointment time. I did telehealth with doctor and he agreed to do same surgery on other side, but need to fly to Houston again if I wanted to be evaluated for pudendal neuralgia or anything else outside of the main problem from my first in person office visit.

[Violet M]

Glad you are doing better. Did you mean to say you did or did not have surgery with Dr. Echo? It sort of sounds like you did have surgery but maybe I'm misunderstanding.

Violet

[jobby99]

So, I did have surgery with Dr. Echo for a problem with Ilioinguinal nerve, which was resolved. He does do pudendal nerve release as well. It can't hurt to make appointment with his office in Houston and see if you like the doctor.