United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello,

I am a 49 year old female and just had a double heart bypass three months ago. Before my surgery, i had cervical spine issues due to a car hitting me years ago while walking and it led to me having to have a metal plate inserted in my neck. Since that surgery, i have suffered severe neck pain etc, but that was basically the extent of it.

Then three months ago, i suffered a heart attack which led to an emergency heart bypass. Since this surgery, i realized i was having problems on my left side. It started in the left chest area (which i contributed to them rooting around for my left mammary artery which was used for one of the bypasses) and as time progressed, i was having left sided back/shoulder spasms and it worked it's way down my arm. Now, three months later, i have lost partial use of my left arm and can't lift it above my head, backwards and it even shoots down my arm into my forearm, hand and fingers.

I was referred to a pain management doctor who ordered a MRI and they found that my brachial plexus nerve was injured. They said this could be caused by how they position you on the operating table during heart surgery or it could of been caused by drs searching for that left mammary artery. Nevertheless, its kept me from returning to work as well as effecting my every day life. I am unable to wear certain tops because i have difficulty dressing, combing my hair, brushing my hair etc and the list goes on.

Dr's have scheduled an epidural on my cervical spine later this month. They are injecting some sort of medicine into my spine in hopes to take down any inflammation etc, but have told me that may not even have any effect. They then stated if it did not, they was referring me to a neurologist which may require me to have yet another spine surgery...which i REFUSE to undergo due to complications from the last one and almost dying from double pneumonia. I am not in the best of health, so undergoing this kind of surgery would risk my health in many ways. So i am basically screwed if this epidural injection does not fix the problem. That would lead to me having to go on disability and our financial situation is already suffering.

My question is this: Has anyone else on this board experienced this kind of injury due to surgery? If so, what was your experience?

Also, if this epidural does not fix the situation....wouldn't there be implications that the surgeons who done my heart surgery would have to answer too???? I mean seriously....i survived heart surgery due to them, which i'm thankful...but sheesh, i did not plan on never being able to work again or having use of my left arm either.

Just confused and scared is all and would love to find out if anyone else here has suffered this type of injury due to a surgery etc.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

my injury is the result of a surgery, but mine was a direct result of the surgeon stretching my brachial plexus nerve. it has been a little over a year ago. about 6 weeks ago i had a stellate ganglion block done. (a nerve block) they inserted a needle through the front of my neck. i was given a sedative of course. that was the singular most helpful thing i have had done for this injury. it did not cure it by no means, but it took away a lot of the pain and helped my functioning somewhat. i had 4 of these injections.

jmar,

so you said this helped with the functioning of your arm. Was you able to work etc now that the injections has helped?

i am getting ready to lose my health insurance, mainly because since my bypass surgery...we was unable to keep up the premiums since i wasn't working and not sure it will even be in effect still when i am to get my first injection. without the injection i know there is no hope.

hate to hear that you had to go through this cause i all too well know the pain and anguish that one has to go through with this kind of injury. Hope you have been able to return to work and back to "life".

Thanks