Surgery for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

[msunderland]

I just wanted to share with others the experience that I've been through in hopes that it will help someone. I'll start with my backstory. I had a car accident in 1995 which caused three pinched nerves, two bulging disks, whiplash, and pulled muscles in my left arm and right leg. In 2008, after thinking that I was 98% recovered from this accident, I had a small injury to what seemed like just my left elbow and arm. After two weeks of treatment for a sprain, the pain began to spread. In no time, I had pain, tingling, swelling, numbness, weekness and there was just no relief. My xrays and MRI showed nothing. Within three weeks, both arms began to mirror each other with the side affects. At a loss, my normal MD referred me to a neurologist. He, like the MD, would find nothing on test results. After seeing a vascular doctor, a neurosurgeon, a physical therapist, a pain specialist, and countless other expensive "specialists", I began to research the symptoms on my own. The term TOS, short for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, was thrown around by two or three of the doctors. My research led me to believe that this is at least part of what I've been suffering from. On 10/18/2010 I had surgery for the TOS at a hospital in Madisonville, KY and have had great success with my left side. Yes, I still have bad days, but they are nothing compared to the days before surgery. Scar tissue and muscle were removed from my neck, my first rib was resectioned, and banding tissue was removed from my colar bone to open the path for my artery and nerves traveling to my left arm. I will soon undergo surgery on the right side for the same thing. I am anxiously awaiting this surgery! I still have swelling and pain and continue to take meds to control it, but I have full use of my left arm/hand back after recovering from the surgery on the left side. The neurological issues have disappeared, and my hopes are that the surgery on my right side will produce the same or better results. I know what you are all going througha nd I wish you all luck in finding the right doctor and the right treatment!

[jmar]

WHOA HOW I CRINGE AT THAT!!! i had TOS surgery....the surgery went alright on the right...the dr decided to get more of the rib out on the left....in the process, he stretched my brachial plexus nerves. PLEASE PLEASE make sure your dr does not plan to get more out than is necessary. i have been through h*** for the past 16 months. and will continue going through h*** the rest of my life with this.