Yes, I have had several second and third opinions. All confirm that I have C5 Palsy. It is a known complication of cervical decompression surgery.

Basically, spinal decompression surgery removes bone or discs in order to make the spinal canal larger. C5 Palsy is caused mainly as a result of the spinal cord drifting backwards into the newly expanded spinal canal. When it shifts backwards, the nerves running down to the arms get stretched and become injured. Nerves do not like to be stretched !! Some nerves just get injured and heal, but others get injured and die. Those that die have to regrow back down to the muscles and that takes a long time (about 1 inch per month or longer). It can also be caused by a pre-existing injury to the spinal cord (myelomalatia or myelopothy). This pre-existing injury, combined with the shifting of the spinal cord, causes the nerves in the arms to get injured. It can also be caused by foraminal narrowing. The opening where the nerve roots come off the spinal cord and go down to the arms gets narrow from degeneration or osteophites (bone growths). When this opening gets narrow, it compresses the nerves going to the arms and they can't move when the spinal cord shifts backwards. This causes them to get stretched and injured.

Doctors are supposed to assess patients and determine if there is a risk of C5 Palsy and advise patients about the risk. There are also some precautions that can be taken to minimize the risk, but my doctor did neither. I had Myelomalatia, foraminal narrowing and my spinal canal was expanded significantly, so the shifting was substantial. I was doomed before surgery even started.

As I said, there is not much info out there on this, so I thought I would at least give future C5 Palsy sufferers a place to see how it plays out. I know how frustrating it is to have this condition and no place to get good info. Most doctors are aware of the condition, but have limited info.

Most C5 Palsy Patients see improvement within 2 - 3 months and are at full recovery by 6 months. Unfortunately, there are some who get more severe cases (like me) and it takes much longer. Some never get better (only about 30%).