Hi Debra.I have a similar problem though not quite so serious. I have a problem with ligaments in my foot. Ligaments are notorious for healing slowly. Any treatment that I receive has initial good results only to quickly fade away as I exercise my foot. When I met with my pain md, I asked how much my initial injury was impacting my attempts at remission. He is referring me for a second opinion from a different foot/ankle surgeon. He told me that, if it's felt that my initial injury is impairing my progress and needs to be repaired, I would have the surgery with adequate anesthesia and I would be sent home with an epidural in place until my foot healed. I'd have home visiting nurses come to my house. So, I guess in my case, surgery could be done with the assistance and input of my crps doctor. This comes after I had been told by my original foot/ankle surgeon that he would not operate and after my initial pm anesthesiologist signed off on me unless I had a scs put in by his associate. I guess I would say, if you really feel you need surgery, call other pain specialists who specialize in crps and see if they could give the appropriate, long-term anesthesia to aid in recovery without a spread.