Hi Dubious,
First of all, the ortho surgeon who did my ankle surgery consistantly ingored my complaints about how much pain I was in...my appts. would last for two to five minutes...

One day he didn't even ask me to remove my sock so that he could look at my ankle/foot....
In June I had asked him if he thought I had RSD ...he responded "no."...(I had never heard of RSD but had recently encountered it on the web as I was trying to self-diagnose as to what the h--- was going on with my foot..

Finally in August he said..I think you have RSD.....

Then he said, "Ah, but they have so many wonderful things now, like lumbar blocks and cymbalta..." as though he was talking about something superficial and not serious....almost like 'small talk'

(keep reading...I have a point to my story...)
he then told me he would not have any more appts. with me and that he was turning me over to a pain management doc...not the one he usually works with, but a new, young promising pain management doc....

My opinion???? I think he was trying to minimize his part in a delayed diagnosis....

I think, perhaps, your doctor made that comment because he wanted to convey a message that his RSD cases always resolved successfully...that he didn't have 'unsuccessful' experiences in his practice...
This was my first reaction when I read your post....
I am truly, truly sorry your surgery and recovery have been so challenging...

hope4thbest