Radial Palsy after Fracture

[orbitingin2000]

I need help and i hope i find it here. its hard typing right now with my left hand but here it goes..
I hope I've found the right place to tell my story, and the right board and topic in which to do it. If not..please tell me where I should.
On May 19th, I broke my right arm on the humerus bone. it was a bad break, broke the bone into 3. I went immediately to the emergency room, got there about 5 minutes after I realized i had broken it. (roomate took me). They took x-rays, saw how bad the break was and called the orthepedic surgeon on-call. I ,at this point had told them that my hand felt tingly a bit and was feeling weird. he did not come in to see me. he told them to splint me up and that he'd see me in 3 days. my thumb was now noticelby numb, and the orthepedic guy still sent me home. i came back the next morning.. my arm was triple the size, my entire hand was "dead." no feeling in it at all. they were concerned now. this was on the 20th. i was "assigned" to another orthepedic surgeon and he said they needed to do surgery on me, and that it would happen next week. i was surpsied by all this waiting time..i was confused by everything.
the surgery took place on the 24th. it lasted 5 and a half hours. he used a metal plate in my arm. he said that there was a very sharp piece of bone jaggering into my radial nerve for a very long time. he explained that my hand would be dead for a long time possibly forever.
now.. my hand (most of it, all radial function), has no feeling or motor function.
is this AT ALL normal practice!?
am i to accept this at all?
please..someone who might know something,.,please help me..
im only 27..i just started my career as a teacher..i will not accept the fact that my right hand is dead now. please help

[Robert2]

First off, your surgery schedule suggests that it was orchestrated by an HMO. Second, have you seen a neurologist. A doctor who specializes in nerves, not bones. Something seems mighty odd about your orthepedic surgeon giving you such discouraging news.

These days, nerves can be repaired, sometimes even replaced. So, it is not neccesarily a permanent condition. But it is important that you get with the neurologist right away because, the longer you wait, the more the nerves atrophy.

Don't lose hope.

[orbitingin2000]

i see a neurologist to assess the nerve on monday.
i know nerves can be replaced and stuff, but shoudnt they have done the surgery right away toaavoid this? isnt this malpractice?
i was told this may be permanent.. do you know anything about this type of condition?

[Robert2]

There are so many variables that directly affect your current condition that I cannot possibly comment on your treatment. The neurologist is really the one who is going to be able to give you prognosis. But, you need to keep an open mind and ask questions.

I recently read about a women who had to have a length of nerve replaced in her shoulder after she had some kind of accident that destroyed the original. It worked pretty good and she was able to use her arm again. Did you know that nerves can regenerate if given the proper conditions. That's why I would think that your injury is servicable.

There other kinds of nerve problems that can't be fixed such as neuropathy. That's when a disease or exposure to chemicals causes allot of your nerves to fail.

Don't lose hope.

[FREDO]

Hi, I think you deffinitely got messed over by a lazy doc that would rather react to a problem, than to try fixing the breakage right so as to minimize any nerve damage risks.

I would continue to go along with thier program; but in the meantime, hire an attourney to protect yourself. AND DON'T TELL THE HOSPITAL STAFF/DOCS that you are doing this. Request all copies of your records to date and give to your lawyer, he will want you to see a outside doc on the side that will give an impartial opinion as to "is this normal treatment"

And I would be very surprised if he/she agreed it was. But - important - get this done asap before these other docs operate, if need be, get the surgery postponed until you tell them you want a 2d opinion. What ever you have to say to give the lawyers' doc time to check it out.

Since they were in no hurry to try to help the first time, and the damage is already done, they can wait until you get that second opinion and figure out where to go from there.

Just my advice, but I hate it when Docs treat you like "I'm busy, see you when its convenient for me"

Hope all you have a pain free night,

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FREDO