Quote:
Originally Posted by jkl626
Parbie-
if it was me I would go see both of them when you can and schedule the surgery with Annest, but if you like Brantigan better then you can change your plans. i think you said that it was okay to cancel the surgery. Just give yourself a day or so after you see both of them to decide. You could also change your plans and go home and then decide. Or you can wait until they are both available for surgery. With such a big decision, you dont want to rush it even though I know you are anxious to get it done.
I forget are they both advocating the same surgery? I know Dr. Annest is a protege of Sanders and he beleives in scalenctomy only and pec minor tenomoty.
Of course this is just my opinion,but I would'nt schedule surgery with someone I had never met. You need to do what feels right for you!
Good Luck
JKL
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Thanks for the input JKL. I would have to make 2 trips for sure because otherwise I would end up having to stay in Denver for a month waiting to get the surgery. They are both saying different things. Dr. Annest is saying he can't tell me which procedure he will be doing until he does more tests and sees me in person. So regardless of not having met him, I would trust him after seeing him and if I don't feel right can still cancel the surgery. He said he would probably do the scalenectomy and remove my cervical rib. He would only remove the first rib if necessary and says according to further research he and Sanders have learned it is not necessary to always remove the first rib contrary to what Sanders published a while ago. I will have to do the MAC test with Sanders to see if I need a pec minor tenotemy. Dr. Brantigan said he would remove the cervical and first rib but he would leave a small stump. That was one thing I was unsure about since so much of the research I've read says it should be fully removed. He said he would only do a scalenectomy depending on where my brachial plexus is being compressed.
Anyway, I have done a lot of thinking and I think I am going to just stick with Annest especially because Sanders will be assisting in the case. I am scheduled to see Annest and Sanders the week of August 27th with a tentative date for surgery scheduled August 30th. Oh and I plan to see a therapist with Physioarts next week for a month who has a lot of TOS experience (or so she says). Jennifer Green doesn't see patients anymore, she just owns the place. Giving it one last shot before I go through with the surgery, although I saw a therapist a couple weeks ago and he put me in a lot of pain after. I have been doing Edgelow's Protocol as much as I can after work but it is helping only a little and its temporary since I am in extreme pain as soon as I am back at work the next day, well even before that during my commute to work. I feel good about doing surgery but maybe I can at least get relief from pt before then.