Hi, I am so sorry you hurt. I was diagnosed with RSD in my left foot and calf by a vascular surgeon. He assured me that he caught it soon enough and that the sympathectomy would be the best route to go and would I mind if he brought his interns in the room to see. He described a small incision approx 3 inches long in my stomach, and that they spread it and then move all the organs aside and it would give them access to my spine- through my abdomen!. When I got out of surgery I was miserable- The incision was 7 inches diagonal and crooked across my stomach ( I am 6-3 and was 175lbs) so it went from one side to the other. This was in June 2006. In August 2006 one of the medical journals printed an article that stated the surgery was considered butchery, in that it took any chance of a neurological cure out of the picture and there was no proof of success. It didn't help me. It made it worse. I immediately got RSD in the incision area and the skin is as sensitive as my leg, not to mention I have terrible stomach gas pains since. If they ask you about doing this procedure, I would be extremely critical. Look around for yourself and find those journal reports so you have something to confront this doc with. Under no circumstances would I ever let anyone I know go through this without doing hours worth of research. Do not take this lightly for your own sake please. Best of luck, and prayers for a cure!