Hello, here is the Dr. in Israel who I had corresponded with. Looks like he/she is now at Johns Hopkins. Good Luck.
danielle.rochlin@jhmi.edu

Dr Aaron Filler in Santa Monica, California.
Institute of Nerve Medicine
He is not your usual surgeon. He can treat with MRI guided procedures so you don't need surgery. Google him and make appointment before you get to states.
He has an office in London as well. He has developed a MR Neurography that shows nerve compressions. No other test can accomplish this. He is the best; however, He does not do rib removal. This guy saved my life. I saw many other surgeons and he was the only one that really understood TOS.

Thanks again.
Does anyone have Dr Donahue's email address (or his clinic)? or should I just give them a call?

Just give them a call, it's the best way to contact them.

I am 3 weeks post op from a first rib resection. My surgeon was Raphael Bueno at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He was excellent and everyone in the hospital was great. I had three opinions at 3 Boston Hospitals, but after reading the risks of surgery I decided I would be better off with a thoracic surgeon as opposed to an orthopedist or a vascular surgeon (just my personal opinion). I made the right choice because one of the risks of surgery is pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and I developed one. It happens in about 30% of first rib resections. Dr. Bueno told me he leaves a chest tube in all of his patients while they are under anesthesia and that way if they develop a pneumothorax the tube is there and ready to use to reinflate the lung. If it is not needed it gets pulled the next day. However, most orthopedists and vascular surgeons are not trained in chest tube placements. If you develop a pneumothorax after the surgery, as many do, most physicians will put them in with some sedation, but not anesthesia. As a trauma nurse in Boston of 9 years, I can tell you first hand I have heard the screams of many patients through the years who have had chest tubes put in without anesthesia. It is almost a barbaric procedure. So mark my word, you want a surgeon who knows how to do this while you are anesthetized. My husband's friend had a first rib resection ten years ago for TOS and developed a pneumothorax the next day. He said having the chest tube put in while he was awake was far worse than the actual surgery. Whoever you go to, do your research. It is not exactly a small procedure. You want to make sure you go to a skilled surgeon. Best of luck and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Sorry-I gave you the wrong info before- this is the Dr. in Israel I corresponded with. He wrote this article about
Scalenectomy without Rib Resection. He was very nice to answer my questions. It would be worth seeing him if you havent already- good luck.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17985565?log$=activity

Dr. Shimon Rochkind
Specialist in Neurosurgery & Microsurgery
Director, Division of Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction
Department of Neurosurgery
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
Tel Aviv University, Israel
Board Member, Peripheral Nerve Committee, WFNS
Senior Editor, Photomedicine & Laser Surgery

"Dr. Shimon Rochkind" <rochkind@zahav.net.il>

Dr. Clair is the HEAD of Vascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic main campus. I am 18 days post-op and doing very well. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. Clair. I stayed in Cleveland 2 days after surgery and was able to fly home to Montana and did just fine. Good Luck!

I would recomment Dr. Dean Michael Donahue at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, Ma. He is a prince, honest, conservative, kind, humble and very empathetic. I am waiting for the date of my surgery, (I just the other day had to postpone it, (long story on my part, not his). Anyone who has used him will give you positive feedback. Good luck to you.
Irisheyesmilin

Hi again,

Dr. D's phone number is 617 724 0969, I have it memorized. The woman that works closely to him is Pat. He is not in a clinic, he has an office in MGH where is fellows and physician's assistants are. He will probably call you back. He is the only doctor I've ever had who calls me or if I call to ask a question of Pat sometimes a few minutes go by and presto he's on the phone answering my question. It just happened the other day when I had to postpone my surgery to get a mammo done. He said the surgery is important, but the mammogram screening is more important. Get that done first and we will reschedule. Now you know what everyone means when they talk about him the way they do. If you need any further help just come back on neurotalk. Also, the help at the hospital is phenomenal. The minute you walk into the door there are people waiting behind several desks to help you and give you directions as to where you need to go. Just tell them the name and you will be all set. If you get lost ask anyone from the hospital and again you will get help.

Irisiheyesmilin