I have posted here since approx. 2004-

I have neurogenic vascular TOS, which then prompted RSD, bedridden, Right sided surgery after long attempts to get work comp hearings, but surgery in Denver (flew myself out first after denial from work comp and got two great reports that I needed surgery.)

My doc for surgery was Dr. Annest. He was very professional and competent, and honest - he said he may only get 10% better due to long wait for surgery. But what happened was the TOS slowed down extremely, and then, the RSD left for an entire year.

I believe there is a very big difference between men and women in surgery outcomes, how they got TOS and how the TOS reacts.[/U]

TOS has many flavors - try the advanced search for threads on many symptoms, or main 5 symptoms. My TOS testing thread is complete and tells you all I know about TOS.

Now I fight after work comp judgment - you must not quit or give in. See as many free consults as possible.

I will never work again. I am lucky to have nurses, stable mate, good doctors...I can't write to everyone - I'll hurt for weeks.

But my love and prayers go to all.

Thanks for this. I'm blessed to have a physician for a spouse and very good health insurance. My neurologist and neurosurgeon (from my ACDF) are also very supportive and caring and have stayed involved with my case.

I went 5-6 days with only 2-3 hours of sleep per night last week. I finally slept 6 hours last night. I believe the trigger point injections, an increase in Pamelor to 20mg, Norco 5/325, and Mobic combined gave me enough pain relief to sleep. I believe Pamelor has provided the same relief I use to get from Cymbalta (had to stop because of tachacardia) with no noticeable side effects.

The symptoms on my left side are getting worse as my hand went into some wierd spasms trying to type this morning. I've also noticed a loss of dexterity when I hold a phone without even raising my arm. I'm beginning to believe that surgery is imminent. I'm hoping to get some definitive details from the ultrasound with Dr. Ahn tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it.

Dr. Ahn is a butcher and should be avoided at all costs. Of course that is just my personal opinion based on a friends decompression surgery from him, which had to be corrected by another surgeon later on.

Can you send me a link to your friend's story?

All the complaints on here about Ahn seem to be secondhand, or trolls who post a negative comment and are never heard from again. Do you know of anyone here that has posted about a negative outcome with him firsthand?

No surgeon in this world has a 100% success rate. There is a chance that my surgery won't be a success no matter who it is with. I am sorry for your friend, but I think Ahn has proven his competence with TOS.

Thanks for the heads up, I will continue to research.

Numbers dont matter, outcomes do, I agree there are many reasons why people have less than perfect outcomes for tos surgery. That doesnt change incompetance. That being said, everyone is entitled to choose their own surgeon. Do your reasearch and feel comfortable with whomever you choose.
All the best, and I wish you a good outcome.

nospam: I agree with Tossucks commentary on Ahn.

Due diligence on him. If you feel safe and secure in your decision, then that's all that matters, along with a good outcome.

Nospam: How do you feel the Intelliskin differs from the S3? I was prescribed the S3 and it made everything worse. Guaranteed a vaso-spasm as soon as I strapped it on. It now sits dormant collecting dust somewhere.

I showed the S3 to several PT's and none of them liked the design, especially the strapping which runs over the collarbone. The TOS surgeon who prescribed it to me said it was the downfall of the garment, yet thought it would still be beneficial. Although the Intelliskin looks of better design, the ribbing which comes over the shoulder and down over the collarbone harkens of S3 misery. Do you feel downward pressure in this area when you wear it? Thanks.

I saw Dr. Ahn today.

After a review of my history and a brief physical exam, he believes this is TOS. After just a few minutes with him I felt that he is ahead of the curve vs. the other surgeons in this area. Here is why:

1. He stated that he has now done over 1000 TOS surgeries to date!
2. He stated that he and Sheldon Jordan no longer use the scalene block or Doppler ultrasound for diagnostics due to false negatives (I had a negative scalene block in 2010). Instead he uses fluoroscopic balloon angioplasty to image where compression is taking place as well as decompress those areas temporarily. It made a hell of a lot of sense to me.
3. He no longer holds a preferred surgical approach but plans surgery based on the angiogram. He also stated he does not always take the rib either if it is not necessary. He didn't want to talk specific details about surgical procedures until after the angiogram. I really like this vs. what I thought I knew about TOS surgery in my prior research.

My angiogram is scheduled for 4 weeks from now (hopefully, earlier if there is a cancellation). My pain is no different, but I feel better about my outlook and that has helped me feel better overall.

If you are on the fence about Dr. Ahn or are even pursuing conservative treatment options, I highly recommend you consult Dr. Ahn. I am convinced that everyone should have the fluoroscopic balloon angioplasty before going into surgery with any surgeon. Ahn's bedside manner may be relatively cold and clinical, but he sure seems to know what he is doing.

On a side note, UCLA still hasn't gotten back to me regarding the tests and follow up Gelabert ordered.

I am no longer convinced that Ahn's angiogram/angioplasty is for everyone. It is an invasive procedure that has risks and may be unnecessary (this is based on several other medical opinions I've received). I've learned that there is no gold-standard test for TOS, that the diagnosis is mostly clinical. My personal opinion is that Ahn's practice is a surgery mill and his patients are guinea pigs to him. I'm sure he is highly skilled, but I've lost confidence. Drs. Gelabert and Niren Angle were so much more thorough and empathetic (Ahn didn't even look at my brachial MRI films, just scheduled me for the angios). He also wasn't truthful about what Dr. Sheldon Jordan does and doesn't advocate in regards to ultrasound and angiogram/angioplasty.

I have eliminated Dr. Ahn from consideration. Drs. Gelabart, Angle, and Fujitani remain. I'm very disappointed that UCLA still hasn't scheduled me for the tests and follow-ups Gelabert ordered even though I've been reaching out to them to inquire of the status. What a slow moving machine!

Congratulations! Due diligence well done .