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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Surgical Negligence

If you have suffered the neck, shoulder, arm or hand symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome, you know how serious it can be. Nerve impingement can cause numb, tingling fingers, weakened grip or aches and pains in your neck, shoulder, hand, and arm. Vein and artery impingement can cause your hand to turn blue, lose color completely, or develop black spots in addition to arm pain, swelling, and a throbbing collarbone.

Such serious symptoms require relief. The critical question is what is the best treatment to provide that relief and whether your doctor provided that treatment.

Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when either your nerves (called your brachial plexus) or your veins and arteries, or both are mashed between your collarbone and your ribcage. People who often raise their arms above their heads are more likely than others to suffer this condition - people like construction workers hanging sheetrock on the ceiling, swimmers or volleyball players.

Generally speaking, the proper first treatment is almost always the conservative path of physical therapy or even simply a change in job or athletic activity. An operation is usually not preferred initially. Even in severe cases involving positive test result do not mean surgery is required.

One such test is called Adson's maneuver. Your physician will raise your arm up and back until your wrist pulse is cut off. However, even people with no symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome can have positive results returned from this test. This test is used mostly to confirm a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Doctors must conduct further tests. On of the first tests should be nerve tests like nerve conduction studies or electromyogram. An arteriogram x-ray should also be done to document the damage to any veins or arteries.

Only after conservative therapy has failed and all these test results are evaluated and discussed with you should surgery be considered. Your doctor or surgeon must inform you about the risks that surgery will cause further nerve damage. The risk varies widely from 5 to 50 percent that your surgery will result in negligently inflicted injury. If your doctor performed surgery too early, failed to inform you of the risks and alternatives or breached any other standard of care negligently, then a lawsuit may be appropriate.

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