United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi,
I am a 28 year old girl living on an isolated cattle station in northern Australia. I have just come back from Sydney seeing all my specialists and my pain issues were talked about a lot and for the first in the 2 years I've had my injury, DREZ was explained to me. I never knew about it. My doc has done 8, which I think is probably more than anyone else in Australia. It was explained to me there was an 80% success rate and also a 10% chance of either losing function of my left leg or proprioception (being able to feel and know were the joints are in your leg - therefore having to watch every step you take because you don't know were your leg is). It is not something I would rush into, but for me it poses a lot of doubts as I lost my right arm and shoulder in the accident and have avulsed c5, c6, c7, c8 & t1 of my left arm, so the use my legs is essential. I have had all the right hand nerves plugged into my left arm to try and regain some function, and they believe this sturred but my nuropathic pain even more.
Anyone that has had DREZ with either good or bad results please let me know.
Also they said the bits of vertebrae are removed so they can access the areas, and they are not put back. I want to know what protects your spinal cord if you have a big area there with no bone over it?
Thanks, would appreciate any feedback.

Hey Gale, i have not personnaly had the surgury, but my BPI surgeon told me about DREZ and said sometimes it works and sometimes it dosent. She said that it can affect your leg. Just think long and hard about it before you make your decision. I have pretty severe pain and decided against having the surgury because of the possibility of having something go wrong with my leg.
Good luck with whatever you choose
Ed