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Doctor's Name
Doctor's Address

Dear Doctor:

This letter serves as a reintroduction of my patient, A, who will be seeing you on Thursday, 06/12/2008. As you know, he is an unfortunate gentleman who has reflex sympathetic dystrophy of both lower extremities. His current symptoms are more severe on the right and he has had a persisting wound that has failed to heal on his right leg. He has been through Wound Clinic to try to help heal this, but was intolerant of compression dressings and was unable to get satisfactory healing of this. He has been seen by Dr. X for his pain management and was considered for the possibility of amputation being a therapeutic option to help reduce his pain. He was seen by Dr. Y at Orthopedic Associates for review of this. However, in my discussion with Dr. Z and his evaluation of Mr. A, it was felt that this may be an imprudent path to take given the lack of likelihood of reduction of his pain from his RST, his questionable healing of his wound given noninvasive studies that did reveal tenuous oxygenation of the right lower leg, and concerns of worsening of his RST symptoms on his left leg if he would have an amputation. Based on the results of his transcutaneous oxygen levels and his dramatic improvement with oxygen therapy at this test, Dr. Z felt that a course of hyperbaric oxygen may be of utility to help in improving his wounds. As you may or may not know we have certainly pursued aggressive significant measures to try to improve Mr. A's pain. He has been to Cleveland Clinic for implantable stimulator, which was unsuccessful at dramatically improving his pain. He currently is taking methadone up to eight tablets four times a day, morphine up to 100 mg three times a day, and Dilaudid two tablets by mouth every two hours to help reduce his pain. He also is currently taking Neurontin 1600 mg three times a day, Effexor XR 250 mg once a day, Cytomel 25 mcg once a day, Seroquel 100 mg p.o. q. day, levothyroxine 300 mcg p.o. q. day, Prinivil 20 mg p.o. q. day, and Mevacor 40 mg p.o. q day.

I appreciate your assistance in determining if hyperbaric oxygen is a reasonable treatment course for this unfortunate situation. Dr. Z and I have both tried to stress the fact that amputation may be an abrupt and irreversible treatment course that may not reach any significant conclusion. He has been evaluated by Dr. X for rehab concerns to determine. He agrees that a less aggressive form of therapy may be most appropriate.

I thank you kindly for your prompt evaluation of this kind gentleman in an unfortunate situation. If you have any questions regarding his care please feel free to call me at my office. Otherwise, I look forward to hearing back from you shortly after your evaluation. Please feel free to call me if it is possible or if you have any questions about anything.

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