Dr. Grant Geissler

As a young child Erik suffered symptoms of asthma. He had shortness of breath and had frequent bouts of wheezing. He was prescribed a daily dose of inhaled steroid by his pulminologist to make sure his lungs stayed clear and used Albuterol for extreme distress. He also visited a cardiologist annually to monitor compression from his pectus.

When he was 9 years old, his pulminologist (Dr. Aljadef) recommended we consult with Dr. Geissler. We asked lots of questions, had his Haller Index measured, and consulted with past patients we were connected to through the staff in Dr. Geissler’s office. We noticed Erik starting to become self conscious about his chest. He did not want to try out for swim team or take off his shirt at the beach. We decided to have the Nuss Procedure the following year.

The staff in Dr. Geissler’s office and at Advocate Hospital was kind and professional. They had the added complication of working with Erik’s bleeding disorder (VonWillebrands) which required additional medications and a few extra days in the hospital. Everything was coordinated and we were well taken care of and informed.

Since the week after the bar was implanted, we have discontinued all inhalers and he has had no issues with wheezing or shortness of breath. I know he was going through puberty, I can’t help but think the added oxygen to his system has contributed to a recent growth spirt. The bar was in place for 3 years and I watched him grow in confidence and strength.

I know Dr. Geissler went to additional measures to make Erik’s chest look beautiful. He described shaping the bar in the operating room and forming it to his body for optimal results. He is not only a surgeon, but an artist and I’m so glad we live in the area and were able to partner with him in correcting not only his physical appearance, but improving his lung/heart function.

My biggest disappointment is we don’t get to see him anymore now that the bar is out :). He gave the sterilized bar and stabilizers to Erik after the removal surgery as a parting gift.

Dr Geissler is THE best surgeon. I am so pleased with the way the procedure turned out. Dr Geissler and his staff were extremely professional and so helpful and nice. They assisted with all the insurance papers and planning of the appointments and even offered us an apartment for my family to stay since we traveled over 3 hours to have him do the procedure. The recovery was a challenge but I knew that I was in good hands and would be taken care of. I would definitely recommend Dr Geissler to do the Nuss procedure.

Dr. Geissler is a wonderful surgeon - he performed surgery on my daughter and did a remarkable job. His nursing staff was also very good at taking care of us. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs his services.

We were absolutely thrilled to find Dr. Geissler on the Pectus.com surgeon listing ... but unbelievably thrilled with meeting him and having him perform the surgery for our son. No one in our local community performs this procedure, so we had to look outside the area. The first surgeon we met at a major University Hospital was very nice, but lacked long-term experience. So we traveled 2.5 hours to visit Dr. Geissler and ultimately to have the surgery performed at his hospital (Advocate Lutheran Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, IL). On our visits, he and his staff were super accommodating to us and respected the distance we traveled. He spent almost an hour and a half talking with us on our first visit -- and stayed to 6:00 pm to do so. His execution of the surgery was impeccable and the outcome has been very much as-advertised. Clearly, his experience training with Dr. Nuss and many years of actual procedures puts him in a high class of pectus surgeons. During our hospital stay, he made regular daily visits and was always excellent to talk to. Our teenage son felt very comfortable with Dr. Geissler at all times. As a dad, I made the decision feeling like this was the right guy for me to trust my son to -- he proved me more than right. And in addition to Dr. himself, his two lead nurses were equally as significant to our overall experience. Denise and Tracy always spent plenty of time talking with us and setting expectations for what was happening and what was to come. And I would be remiss if I didn't give kudos to the hospital itself and the nursing staff there too! They made it a home-away-from-home for us for the entire week. The nurses were some of the most professional and fun I've ever experienced and proved to be just as much a resource for a pectus family. At this point, we are only 4 weeks post-procedure, but everything has gone so well and the future for our son is very positive. It is still a wonder how immediate this procedure is in correcting the deformity.

Dr. Geissler is the perfect blend of skill and compassion. His experience with the Nuss procedure and his commitment to the technique allows him to deliver superior outcomes while minimizing the discomfort of his patients. He is thorough, confident and amazingly patient. He explains things in great detail and answers any and every question you might have from what takes place during surgery to what can be expected afterward. He takes pride in his work and you can tell that he truly loves being able to improve the quality of life for his pectus patients.