I am almost 6 months post op and have major nerve damage post op. My surgeon removed my 1st rib in November 2011, this has helped with the pre op problems but since the surgery i am now numb from thumb to ring finger, along my forearm and along my chest. after 5 months of stating that things were not right my consultant is now sending my for a duplex scan to see what's happening......any one else had this post op?? the only issue is he is retiring in 4 weeks there isn't anyone else at the hospital who does this surgery....my future is not that bright!!

Wow...
Dd he cause the nerve damage? Doesn't sound good that he is retiring. There should be another dr hopefully not too far away, I had to travel 45mins to the hospital. But Lancaster is a ways from Bristol!
I think I had a duplex scan post op to check for bleeding I think(hazy time).
I have some numbness, as a nerve had to be cut to avoid causing damage,
but nothing to the extent you describe.
Good luck, I hope that you can get sorted!
Though I am still struggling with symptoms.

I hope you can get this fixed! Is there any way you can get a referral to another surgeon, so that your insurance might cover it? It's a hassle though. The same thing (sortof) happened to me as well, except with a motor nerve (suprascapular), so I can't use 2 of 4 muscles in my shoulder. Going to the dr. next week though!

Best of luck, keep us all posted how things go!

You should see another doctor. The thumb to ring finger distribution sounds like the distribution for the median nerve but only a doctor can diagnose the source of the numbness. Given you've got numbness, an EMG might be in order to try to pinpoint the source of the problem. I have had positive EMGs so the tests sometimes do show something.

thank you eveyone for your input, i will be seeing him Thursday with the results of the duplex i will be having tomorrow and hopefully know where i go from here.