Hello,
I am new to this forum. I had a transaxillary rib resection in April 2012. I was diagnosed with TOS 7 long months after a motorcycle accident. I was thrown from the bike 35' into a storm-water run-off ditch. I was lucky to walk away from the accident. Within hours of the accident, I started having problems with numbness and uncontrollable twitching in my right hand. I couldn't lift my arm above my head or even hold the steering wheel to operate my car. My doctors ran me in circles trying to rule out everything imaginable.

When I met with a thoracic/vascular surgeon, it was confirmed that in certain positions I lost blood flow to my hand. I decided to proceed with removing my first rib. I followed up with the doctor twice after the surgery, but he assured me that I would feel numbness in my armpit and burning (nerve) pain for 8 months to a year after the surgery.

I started exercising again - just power walking a few miles - and started experiencing shortness of breath and increased nerve pain. I went to my primary care physician to rule out pneumonia. She confirmed that I didn't seem to be using my lungs at full capacity, but that my lungs sounded clear. I was sent for a chest x-ray. I have learned that I have surgical clips near my clavicle.

To my knowledge, I should not have any surgical clips left after surgery. Has anyone else had the doctor leave in surgical clips after a first rib resection? I believe the clips are causing my nerve pain, which has been worstened by my recent exercise activities.

I just want to me...the me I was before the motorcycle accident

I have titanium clips on my left side, after a scalenectomy I had an 'extra' scalene there. The extra one was removed and the clips are to hold arteries/veins closed that fed the muscle.

Sometimes I can feel them, especially if I lifted things or used that arm too much. Otherwise, they don't bother me at all.

We have to accept where we are - the 'new' normal. What we suffer now may help someone else in the future.