Spare Rib Removal

I am very sorry to hear that so many people have had such problems following this surgery.

When I first complained of pains in my left arm, I was told to rest it, when the pain returned a plaster back slab was put on for a couple of

weeks, but again the pain returned along with numbness in tips of the fingers.

At this point I took myself to casualty where, not just by hand and forearm were x-rayed as before, but my neck and chest, I thought it was a joke when they said I had and extra rib on each side, but saw the surgeon a couple of weeks later and every six weeks thereafter, until a second opinion was requested, and drastic exercise was recommended, butt these were stopped during the first treatment due to the excess pain.

Within two weeks the original surgeon wrote to say he would perform the surgery.

By this time my hand and part of my forearm were numb, and I was having nightmares that I would loose my arm.

It was after the operation that I was told that the rib was like a razor blade and would have severed the nerve. I will always be grateful

to Mr B for saving my arm and the very neat 9cm scar left by one long stitch.

His initial reluctance was because it was the first time he had performed this surgery. All feeling returned to the hand and arm, although, being left handed, a small amount of strength was lost probably due to the length of time the nerve was stretched across the rib.

It was more than two years before the operation took place in 1965 when I was 19 years old - now 64

I can not understand why 45 years on, it still takes so long to diagnose and treat this complaint without coursing further complications.

Good luck and best wishes to all sufferers

Chris

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