Did the Doctor Screw Up?

First, thanks to all who may reply to this message.

My wife had a radical hysterectomy on 4/22/02. Immediatly after surgery, she lost all feeling in her right leg. Now she can't stand on her right leg or walk unassisted. The doctor said the nerve was brusied and now they are keeping her for another two weeks for physical therapy. Is this normal? The doctor is not saying much and the nurses say they have seen this before but it's not common. Has anyone else had this problem? I thank you all in advance for any information or advice you can give.

There was just a question about this on obgyn.net recently. Perhaps it was you???
I heard that this happens when they acidentally improperly place a stitch in the sacroilliac ligament.
A neurologist is highly recommended! They can do tests to see jsut what happened, how far the damage went,and if the nerve will indeed work again.
Nerves can heal and re-generate but it takes time. Sometimes too long for a person's desires! Sometimes in just a few days!
An orthopedist would also be helpful. To see if any other damage has been done to muscles etc.,..
You can pull in any dr to check her that yuou like. Don't be bullied by others in the hospital or by her dr. It is her right to have that looked at by someone else. Sometimes they get a little offended when you do this. Hopefully they won't.
But neurologist is mandatory where nerves and nerve reactions are involved! That is what they do.
So sorry this happened to her. Please send her our prayers and good thoughts for a full recovery. And please let me know how she is doing. My husband lost the feeling in his leg after his back surgery for a short time. It can be so frustrating.
Also, magnesium is what the neurologist put him on. 200 mgs a day. It is responsible for healthy nerves in the body. Wouldn't hurt to try!
Keep in touch! You are wonderful to search for answers for her!
God Bless
Peanut

I can't agree more with what Joyneau has said. Nerve pain is the worst and needs immediate attention. Good Luck. My best to your wife.
Maralyn

I had my surgery on April 15 ...LAVH...removed everything but the right ovary. I woke up from surgery with both my legs numb from the top of my thigh all the way down to my angle. I seen 3 neurololists when I was in the hospital. They gave me some tests.I have what is called Femoral Nerve Palsy . I was told it happens to very few women.They said it was temporary nerve damage that happened during my surgery..It's when your nerves are compressed from being in a certain position for a good amount of time.They said it probably happened from how they had me positioned...& it's also more likely to happen to smaller frame women.I could barely stand up let alone walk.I start taking physical therapy on Monday.I had to come home with a walker & still have to use it. They said I could have the numbness for just a couple of weeks or for some months.
I know what your wife is going through...my heart goes out to her! It's hard enough going through with this major surgery & the recovery time from that alone.But to have an added complication that makes it so hard you can't walk,drive,stand.ect...I cry several times a dayI can tell you I have had a little improvement with the sensation of my legs.They are now numb from the top of my knee down.
After talking to several doctors...I know it did not happen because my doctor screwed up in any way ! My Ob said the last time this happened to him was 26 yrs ago.
Please keep us posted on how your wife is doing & if you have any more questions feel free to e-mail me.I'm just taking it one (slow) day at a time!
Wishing your wife the best for a very speedy revovery!

Hi,
I'm so sorry to hear that your wife is having such a hard time. This is a rare complication but can happen. You might want to go back and re-check the pre-op papers that she signed. Those papers list the possible complications and I believe this will be in that list.

There is no way to know if or how a doctor made an error. Since we aren't a medical site nor a legal assistance site we can't reply in a way to satisfy that question.

We *can* send best wishes and encourage you to pamper your princess. We hope to get to "meet" your wife when she is doing better and can sit at the computer. Being a "woman to woman" support site is what we do best.

We are praying for a speedy recovery for your wife. Please tell her we send our hugs and prayers that she will be able to join us soon.

I don't know what hospital your wife is in, but there are some excellant hospitals in the Philly area and some excellant specialist. Have you considered getting a second opinion on her condition and treatment?

Send our love and to your wife. And please treat her like the that she is.