United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello,

My name is Ken, and I've been living with a C-4 C-5 injury for 20 years however the pain associated with this has become unbearable. I'm due to have a DREZ surgery on 7/12/04 please tell me what to expect and if anyone out there has had this procedure?? I had seen Amy & Jason's message and thought that I would ask the out come?? Anyone with information on this procedure and Dr. Osenbach @ Duke, please reply asap.. Thanks alot.
Kind Regards,
Kenny G.

Hi Ken I can empathize with you about the pain (with me C5 thru T1 are avulsed), it just wears a person down, it's so damn discouraging. I live in Durham and Dr. Osenbach did carpal tunnel surgery on my functioning wrist about a year after my BPI. He wanted to do the DREZ procedure on me, too, but though I'd dearly love some pain relief and to get off the opiates, I'm not convinced it would help. My case manager nurse attended a conference on spinal injuries in Miami and said no one she talked to was recommending the procedure, that you can end up with more pain than you started with.
Still, I expect you'll hear from someone who's glad they did it. It's a very, very tough call.
I live just a few miles from Duke Medical Center, so if I may be of help in some way, just e-mail me.

Hi Kenny
Here's a thread from the UK tbpi message board, it's VERY long and detailed, but I guess you won't mind that! http://p072.ezboard.com/fadultswithbrac ... =689.topic
Hope it helps :0)

I may be a day late with my post. I had a close internet friend that had the DREZ in North Carolina I beleive and that poor gal has never been out of pain...infact she has more now. I believe it was called Anesthesia Delorosa. I Lost contact with her but last I spoke with her....her hubby had to hold the phone for her. She is on total disabilty now.

Me? I would run as fast as I could from that procedure.

Hi Ken, I may be a day late in posting this. I had a good internet friend who went to North Carolina and had the Drez surgery. (about 5 years ago)

Not only did it not help her she is in a lot worse pain now. She is now on total disabilty.

I will never forget those words "DREZ Surgery".

Sorry, I had posted a response and did not see the first one I posted so I replied again. I apologize.

Minnie..You didn't say exactly what condition your friend had, or what procedure she had to help her with it..if her condition was trigeminal neuralgia, then it was highly likely that she had radio frequency lesioning which is not quite the same thing as DREZ in this context, although the techniques used can be the same.

The radio fequency lesioning could have caused her anesthesia dolorosa, and some people get this after having their TN treated in this way, others don't. Unfortunately, it sounds like your friend was one of the unlucky ones. All these types of surgery carry some risk, and hopefully these would have been fully explained to her before hand.

Everyone considering this type of surgery (any sugery really) should thoroughly research any and all of these procedures, and ask ask ASK questions until they are satisfied that this is what they want to do, and the associated risks are acceptable. Ask people who have had it, and why. Don't rely on peer reviewed statistics alone, although these can be a good 'jumping off' point, they don't give the whole story. Don't take too much notice of scare stories either until all the facts of the case can be checked and that they actually relate to your own circumstances.

Don't forget, education in these injuries is everything.

Lizzyb

I had the DREZ Lesioning about six months after my accident. It was a miracle cure. The only problem is that five or six years later, the pain started easing back on and now it's back full force. Dr. Alan Friedman, who is now the Neurosurgery Chief of Staff at Duke University, performed my operation. Although I'm sure you've figured it out since according to your surgery date, you've likely already had it...but watch out when you wake up. The incision down the back of your neck...um, well...without getting profane trying to describe it, let's just say that you don't realize just how much you use your neck when you get up and down, when you sneeze, when you...do just about ANYTHING. Good luck with it, Ken...

Robt.

Hi Liz...I am just seeing your post now. I know what RF is. She did not have RF...she had DREZ.

If she was to have the RF, I am sure she would of been referred to the handful of RF specialists, i.e Mass General (Sweet Procedure) which I believe Dr. Mathews is an expert in this. She lived a lot closer to Boston than she did N. Carolina. Anesthesia Delorosa can occur with other procedures besides the RF. I know...I had it.

Hello to all!!!
I'm just writing to inform all that my "DREZ" procedure went well and I am in post op recovery.
Thank you all for the input, and I just wanted to let you know that although post op pain is a "pain"..
Dr. Osenbach did a "great job" and I will always be gratefull for his talented staff and hands in my case..
I have for the first time gone to sleep without the pins and needles pain I've had for 24 years...
All I can say is that my case is in the sucssesful catagory.. Sorry about the spelling and grammar..
Good luck and god bless you all
Kindest Regards
Kenny G.