Pec Minor Tenonomy
 

Has anybody had this to start out with and got better? I saw a thread from ihtos, who reported she was better after her surgery and then said goodbye - like I'm better now, I get to live a normal life.

If you have had this surgery alone, how was it? How long was the recovery? What movements are limited by this surgery?

I am thinking this might be a better surgery for me based on my symptoms than the first rib resection I have scheduled on November 21. I called my doctor, but have been playing telephone tag... he apparently does not do this surgery and suggested that I go to Denver for it. I am in Nebraska - but on the other side, it is about an 8-10 hour drive to Denver.

Also, I called Denver, and I guess Dr. Sanders did not retire...


:)

I have had bilateral pec minor decompression surgeries
 

Hi, I had a both side skalenectomies, both side pec minor decompression and now I have several rare neurological problems and I'm looking at finally having both ribs removed. I have two doctors communicating and a scan scheduled later this month. So sorry to hear you are going thru this and please fill free to ask me any questions.

SO Sorry to hear about this. Are the neurological problems a result/complication of the previous scalenectomies/pec minor surgeries?

Yay! My mom is coming out on the day of my surgery to help me after the surgery and to fly home. Plane tickets bought, hotel booked.

If this doesn't work, I guess I can try the scary surgery later on, but I have the chest pains that and it is more my pinkie and ring fingers that are affected rather than the thumb and pointer finger.

Since being here I read about the PM surgery, and have been doing some myofascial releases for the PM, and have been extremely sore from this. I have a steroid shot schedule for Monday for the PM, they said that was fine, it is still 4 weeks away, and I have a lot of time sitting at a computer between now and then.

They said I can't lift more than 10 lbs for two weeks. Does this surgery hurt afterward if you had it alone, anyone?? How long do you think I will be off work? I am having both sides done at the same time.

I had this surgery a week and a half ago and so far it has been no big deal. Compared to a 1st rib resection it was a breeze. Dr. Donahue indicated that recovery is about two weeks.

Sadly yes!

Thanks for your reply -- and I appreciate your sharing your experience. I think its important to acknowledge the potential benefit as well as risk that is associated with these surgeries.
Are you seeking care in SF area? or maybe Davis? What kind of scan are you getting?

Otherwise -- for everyone who has experience with with Pec Minor Tenonomy --- what symptoms did you have that lead the doctor to think it was the pec minor causing the problem? Did you have any tests specific to the pec minor? Botox in the pec minor?

I read about the pec minor on here, and that made a lot more sense based on what my symptoms are, than the first rib resection. My pulse does not completely stop when they do the TOS tests, but my hands become freezing and then tingling. Also, the pec minor syndrome causes a lot of chest pain - similar to what people describe what a heart attack feels like. I have gone to the ER a couple of times with chest pain, as it was only on my left side to start out with. They looked at me like I was a nut job both times, as I am only 33 - I think I was 26 the first time I went, and I have an excellent heart.

Als

Long term recovery?
 

Any indications on the long term recovery of this surgery? I've read people have trouble pulling things apart, picking up things, opening jars, etc.

I had pec minor surgery with Dr. Sanders in 2008 ---- my first surgery. It did nothing. It is an easy surgery and recovery is easy. I had a final the next week and was able to take it.
The problem with TOS is that they need to fix the reason you got it in the first place. For people with extra ribs or DVT's, they fix those and the people can get a lot better ---- they fixed the problem causing the TOS. For other people with screwed up shoulders, clavicles that are sunken down and unstable, hypertrophied subclavian muscles, etc...the pec minor surgery or the rib/scalene removal does not fix the problem. Don't get me wrong --- it does help, but mostly because of the neurolysis and decompression of the inflamed/lesioned nerve that is hypersensitive and chronically irritated as a result. For these people, their TOS can come back if they continue with their old ways and don't learn how to adapt and move their bodies in new ways. For example, the structural problems of the shoulder, clavicle, scapula, etc. will still cause nerve stretch problems with certain movements. Over time, these movements can stretch the nerve and irritate the BP enough that it gets irritated/inflamed again and TOS is back. There are so many ways TOS can be caused and hopefully surgery addresses the cause.

Why TOS is so tricky: the medical community doesn't really understand all the variations of TOS, and its causes. Also, the diagnostics just aren't there yet --- making TOS a bit of an exploratory surgery.

Gotta go. Sorry for the lengthy post. I wish everyone success with their TOS journey.