thorasic question

[cherylstewart67]

why is it that so many do not want to treat the thorasic?

[Maria]

I would think one reason would be the thoracic area is where heart,lungs,diaphram and such are located so trying to steer as clear as possible of putting any of these areas/organs in any jeopardy. Look what happened w/Judy with regard to her thoracic surgery even tho that might be an unusual type of occurence.

[cherylstewart67]

what about people with scoliosis of that area; they get treatment; sometimes with rods. it's all so confusing.

[jsewell]

There is much less motion in the thoracic area do to the attachment and stability of the ribs. So fewer of the usual problems. So therefore less surgery in that area. As Maria stated, you do have to worry about not injuring the important organs in the area .
I also had the correction surgery from T2-L2 for scoliosis and kyphosis. Only because it was interfering with my lung capacity as well. I had already lost 50% do to DrRegan's complication so i surely could not loose any more.
That surgery was successful.
judy

[Aaron]

It is very confusing. I would say I have been to 3 of the top tier thoracic surgeons and they all said something different. Even two who actually wrote book together on thoracic surgury, disagreed tremendously. Dr. Regan, while probably a genius with VATS, has to many variables for me. Well respected doctors around Texas do not care for him at all, they remember him from his days with TBI and they won't say why they just say do not go to him. Others who I wont name that have a working relationship with him told me straight up, I work for non-profit so I dont benefit financially in your surgury, but Dr. Regan does. That is all he would say besides not agreeing with his surgical recomendation. I don't know all details or Dr. Regan, it was just scary to choose surgury with all that. All doctors have other docs who do not care for them, it might be they are doing something cutting edge no one understands, I dont know. Its just when I mention Dr. Fessler to my long time thoracic doctors, even though some may disagree with his recommendation, each one says he is one of the best. But I am sure he has distractors also, so who knows.

Also another doctor has said Dr's are moving away from VATS due to the potential damage to nerves or lungs, cant remember exactly.

In Chicago with Dr. Fessler, he says he does thoracic min. invasive surgury all the time and its not as big a deal as I thought.

But back to thoracic, it is very confusing. Some say that after fusion rest of levels protected from adjacent problems and others dont. Some say tears in thoracic dont cause pain, or herniations should not cause pain others do. Some say discogram results are true others dont. I have been through that for 8 yrs now and its so very confusing, but I have always known where my pain came from and after discogram and ESI worked I knew 100%. Just like I know where this new lumbar/cervical pain comes from but same of s**t of to small, etc. Go here, go there and I will eventually end up in original place and they will say it does come from there. It only took about 3 yrs last time. But its part of the price to pay to get diagnosis.
Needless to say back pain sucks.

[jsewell]

Aaron,
for me DrRegan (did the Vats surgery) he had no people skills, spent as little time as he could with me . After the damage he caused to the nerve that controls the diaphragm,(the lung cannot function properly anymore) he did not own up to it. I was in intensive care after after i stopped breathing in recovery, he never came to see me or helped me in any way. I was confused, he also had turned me over and removed a lot of thorasic hardwear without ever mentioning it to me. The anesthesiologist had to stop the surgery as i was having difficulty with my lung . My oxygen concentration kept getting into the dangerous level and he was worried about brain damage. Regan did not stop the surgery. I did not see him and i was in the hospital for 2 weeks, later had lung surgery . He never owned up; to it when I went to see him at his office after the surgery. I had my local spine surgeon check the incision as it never happened in the hospital either, they all kept waiting for DrRegan to do it. Very bad surgical experience and a life time of lost lung capacity.

But the discogram did prove the discs that were painful and he did remove one of them and that horrible pain was gone a few months later .
judy

[Jelflower]

Hi Judy:

I sent you a PM regarding Dr. Regan. Wasn't sure if you received it and would like to discuss it. If not, I understand and wish you well as I have read about your journey with Dr. Regan and it sounds horrible.

[jsewell]

Jelflower, i just saw this and sent you a PM
judy

[jeff]

aaron, did you have thoracic surgery? if so who did the surgery?

[cherylstewart67]

question above

[Aaron]

No. I have scheduled TMED with Dr. Fessler but my thoracic is doing much better after 2 ESI that hit spot and school ending and no sitting in hard desks all day. But had another injury playing with kids and hurt other parts of back that are becoming increasingly worse so I may cancel surgury and deal with them.

[Aaron]

The thoracic kind of getting worse after chiro pressed down on head testing cervical, but I have a good way to treat now so not as worried.
I will tell u what though when that medicine relaxed or whatever it did to nerve it felt like my entire back was alive ( in good way), most back pain reccessed to original point of injury, working out actually felt like muscles were responding, bad stabbing pain never came back full on. Nerves are an amazing and crazy thing, but I had no doubt at that point where my pain originated. Inflammation of the nerve can cause fits in diagnosis, especially thoracic.