Damage during VATS surgery

Hooch · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-2011, 05:46 PM

I'm so sorry to hear it Judy.

I don't pretend to understand any of the issues involved with the phrenic nerve, but if you've been misrepresented by your specialist, I hope you can get that sorted at least.

Hope u are ok.

jsewell · #2 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 07:14 AM

Thanks for your kind words. i was already to seek another opinion from someone i saw last year. Then i received a long email from my pulmonologist. He told me that the neurosurgeon called him and told him he did not think he could help me . I have had the VATS and lung surgery in through my chest and there is more than llikely lots of scar tissue in there. Everything would be healed and the nerve most likely really embedded in it all, so to try to decompress it at this late time would probably do more damage than good. It helped me put the fixing it to rest although i am still very upset. no one would listen to me last year when i said it had to be the nerve. DrRegan kept saying nothing happened (immediately after he removed the disc at T7-8 he had problems with me breathing!) If he had been man enough to help me figure it out after it happened, maybe then it could have been repaired. Now it just makes me madder at him.
Thanks for letting me vent, i'll stop now!!
thanks again
judy

Hooch · #3 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 10:17 AM

Well you've got every right to be angry about how you were treated... Just bloody outrageous really the way some surgeons treat a patient with complications as a problem to be swept away.

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 03:20 PM

Hey Judy,
That makes more sense then w/Neuro gving reasons why doesn't think it would work. I had scar tissue on my S1 nerve that for years seemed to have given me horrendous lower body burning pain (buttocks, both legs-5 years post surgery). It did get better. Don't know exactly what happened tho am glad of it and I hope somehow if your phrenic nerve is embedded in scar tissue somehow that will get loosened up over time. I wonder if something like trying to sing would help (lung expansion). Probably sounds crazy since you have difficulty breathing tho just wondering (stretching out area as best you're able).

Recently I had an experience that ticks me off w/a specialist post surgery and I had been very careful surgery and started to have some symptoms that I explained in depth and was seen for right away and wasn't blown off though was not taken seriously enough. So based on complaints was seen again by specialist and again full details given tho still left feeling symptoms went unaddressed. Next day I went to Urgent Care to be seen. Based on that visit reported back to surgeon and was properly diagnosed "I think" although I'm going to see my PCP today to make sure and whatever other doctor I need to see but I'm ticked off that it took an extra week to get started on meds that should help ... I reminded the surgeon I had given her all the symptoms last week and there was actually something she could culture but didn't. Arggh.

I'd be really ticked off as well if suffering the permanent damage. Bad enough it happened, really rotten that the surgeon didn't listen to you and at least try to find out what was going on. It seems more common here in the US than not. I think it's fear of litigation if admitting to anything (with most surgeons/doctors).

dshobbies · #5 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 05:47 PM

Judy,

I don't want to rehash what happened but also, while supposedly in the care of Dr. R - he delayed information that could have changed the outcome of my nerve damage/healing process.

Having said that, I do believe the man has gifted hands. His ego is also so gifted it gets in the way and has caused its own degree of suffering, of which you have first hand knowledge.

I'm sorry for your current diagnosis. The explanation doesn't make it any easier to swallow. I wish there was more I could say....

Please keep us updated, Dale

jsewell · #6 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 06:26 PM

I'm sorry this happened to you too Dale. I am thinking i really want to face the man and tell him the details. When i had the nerve tested at the same hospital as the surgery, the doctor assured me he had experience in testing this nerve as he said they test the ICU patients who have breathing problems. well i was in their ICU on a respirator and was not tested. I wonder if that was because i had no surgeon ever appear?
Not sure what i am going to do about Regan. i will ask my wonderful spine surgeon on Tuesday when i see him.
judy