Orthpaedic Surgery in Chiangmai?

DavidFL

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After my 22-wheel truck accident in Laos
R13n - Hit By A 22-wheeler Chinese Truck
I still had some trouble with my left hand, so after 6 weeks I visited Dr Kanit, as recommended by Dr Sudhee

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He has studied in Australia was very easy to talk to.
There was major reconstructive surgery that could be tried for my left hand, however it was his opinion that this would more than likely not be a satisfactory result in the end.
Leave it as it is. Don't waste your time & money.

The location of his clinic
Google Maps
 

DavidFL

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Interesting another recommendation - A shoulder specialist

Since the truck accident in Laos my right shoulder has not fully recovered after 2 months and I suspect some tissue or muscular damage
Dr Kanit above said that the #1 shoulder specialist was Dr Chanakarn Phornphukul, M.D.; whom I once consulted for my knee replacement.

His info is repeated here
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Google Maps Location: Google Maps

So back to the good doctor once more, this time for the shoulder.
After a quick consultation, we both agreed there was some tissue damage - rotator cuff - but an MRI would be needed. Dr Chanakarn would be at his clinic the next morning for consultation, so I was sent straight off to an MRI Clinic - Chiang Mai MRI - on the middle ring road near the sala klang government offices.
Location here: Google Maps
I was whisked straight in & 45 minutes later was out with my results & 8,000 baht lighter.

9am the next morning back to see Dr Chanakarn, & oh yes we can clearly see a tear in the rotator cuff. This is what is causing you the pain & discomfort. It could be left alone, but will gradually get worse & perhaps cause more pain, discomfort & limited use. It can be stitched back together = 1.5 hours surgery & about 200,000 baht at Rajavej hospital.Then 2-3 months recovery. Ouch the 2-3 months recovery will hurt more.

Not 100% satisfied with the diagnosis & asap surgery recommendation I contacted Dr Sudhee, asking for another recommended shoulder specialist; and his advice Dr Chanakarn is #1 for shoulders in Chiang Mai. Stick with him....

Chanakarn Phornphutkul, M.D. - Department of Orthopidic, Faculty of Medicine, CMU.
 
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DavidFL

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The teaching staff at CMU Orthopaedic department


The Doctors

My advice, try to get the top guy in the field you need.
Google the doctors names to check their CV.
Pick a doctor who has overseas experience.
Try to avoid those with no overseas experience.

Another interesting link

 

DavidFL

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Did you go ahead with surgery on your shoulder David ?

Good question.
I decided to wait & see. I was actually a bit put off by Chanakarn's need to do the surgery asap, because it had been an ongoing issue for several weeks, that was just bloody annoying and a pain at odd inconvenient occasions.
My brother in Oz had had the same problem and over 18 months he said it healed itself.
I decided to give that a go, rather than go under the knife & require 2-3 months of therapy afterwards.
And, it healed itself over the next few months, no pain & "back to normal."
 
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The reason I ask is I damaged my shoulder lifting a 20l drum of oil about 6 or 7 years ago, it was in my car and I had to reach right out to grab the handle, then I lifted the drum and ping, it felt like a recoil hose winding up inside my shoulder...............................mine was not a tear, I snapped a tendon :weary_face:


One thing ive learnt is never try to lift anything while my arms are extended, bring it closer to your body and its not an issue because there are different tendons working together ;)


My shoulder improved by itself, not 100% but felt alot better, reason being a snapped tendon will not reattach, a tear can get better, what happens is the other muscles in your shoulder compensate and movement improves..................at 1st I could not lift my arm to the side at all, after probable a year I could lift it to my shoulder height.


After about a year I had the reattachment surgery and what an improvement, yes I had 3 months in a shoulder brace, slept in a recliner chair, my missus had to shower me, after the 3 x months and physiotherapy its back to 100% :cool:


Now I am very careful how I lift things, never with my arm extended ;)


This surgery is very common with truckdrivers and machine operators as they regularly extend there arms and then pull on them to get in or out of trucks/machines
 

DavidFL

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The reason I ask is I damaged my shoulder lifting a 20l drum of oil about 6 or 7 years ago, it was in my car and I had to reach right out to grab the handle, then I lifted the drum and ping, it felt like a recoil hose winding up inside my shoulder...............................mine was not a tear, I snapped a tendon :weary_face:


One thing ive learnt is never try to lift anything while my arms are extended, bring it closer to your body and its not an issue because there are different tendons working together ;)


My shoulder improved by itself, not 100% but felt alot better, reason being a snapped tendon will not reattach, a tear can get better, what happens is the other muscles in your shoulder compensate and movement improves..................at 1st I could not lift my arm to the side at all, after probable a year I could lift it to my shoulder height.


After about a year I had the reattachment surgery and what an improvement, yes I had 3 months in a shoulder brace, slept in a recliner chair, my missus had to shower me, after the 3 x months and physiotherapy its back to 100% :cool:


Now I am very careful how I lift things, never with my arm extended ;)


This surgery is very common with truckdrivers and machine operators as they regularly extend there arms and then pull on them to get in or out of trucks/machines

Good info. Many thanks.
 
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DavidFL

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Dr Sudhee - retired - a home visit.
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In Chiang Mai to attend a funeral & buy a new used Nmax to help ne over the coming months before I get back on the Vstrom, I caught up with the GTR bone doctor hero, Dr Sudhee at his home & therapeutic pool centre.

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I had a long enlightening chat with the good Dr.
Aged 82 now he almost died a couple of years ago from internal hemorrhaging a couple of weeks after successful heart bypass surgery and needed emergency blood 2 times.
He still loves his work & can't stop, such that he still does private consultancy at home for previous patients & friends.
Dr Sudhee made an amusing comment "we can fix broken bones but can't fix the brain". Please wear a helmet David.

Of note too Dr Sudhee seems to strongly recommend Dr Chanakarn for surgery.
He even suggested I consider a shoulder joint replacement with Dr Chanakarn, as the technology is there now & Chanakarn can do it easily.

Dr Sudhee's residence & pool centre


Thanks Ughetto for the transport to & from Chiang Mai.
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DavidFL

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
As some of you may know from my recent ride through hell, coming back from Vientiane, where I had some severe carpal tunnel syndrome, losing the feeling in my hands & not being able to ride more than 20-40 kms at a time. It was time to get the definitive diagnosis, after a few months wondering what the hell was going on.
I'd consulted the bone doctor at Kasemrad Sriburin who operated on & saved my right leg from the crash last year, & his opinion that yes it seemed like carpal tunnel, but the quick tests we did at the Sriburin clinic were unclear.
On my return from that disastrous Vientiane ride I consulted Nantawit, who replaced my left knee in 2017. Nantawit is actually a spine specialist and I thought perhaps my hand numbness maybe coming from my neck or spine. But his opinion was no, not the neck or spine.
Coming out of Nantawit's clinic was surprised to see my orthopaedic hero, Dr Sudhee, there with his wife!!
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Sudhee is well retired now, but Dr Nantawit was one of his students for orthopaedics, and his wife was having a checkup on her knee replacement that Dr Nantawit had done!
Sudhee was keen to know why I was there consulting Nantawit & did a quick check up on my condition. No it's not the neck, and it looks like carpal tunnel, but maybe not.
His recommendation, along with Nantawit then was to consult the number 1 hand guy in Chiang Mai, Dr Kanit at his clinic.
A consultation with Kanit
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also suggested carpal tunnel, but maybe not.
The only solution then was to undergo a sensory nerve test - electrophysiologic - with needles & small electric shocks to determine exactly where the source of the problem was.
I got a referral for the neuro doctor at Ram hospital for the test, but Thailand was going into a one off 6-day holiday, and the good Dr was not there until after the holiday. Damn. No problem, I thought, just go to another hospital & she'll be right mate. No such luck though, McCormick, Rajavej, Lanna cannot do the test. I queued up at the government hospital for 2.5 hours to consult a neuro only to be told yes, we can do the test, but the queue waiting list is 2 months. At the government hospital in Chiang Rai, the queue was one month. I waited in Chiang Mai for a week for an appointment with the neuro only to be told come back in 2 weeks for the test @ 11,000 baht. Frustrated & disappointed, home it was to Chiang Khong to wait out the 2 weeks.
2 weeks later back in Chiang Mai for the test. 1.5 hours of needles & shocks to confirm, yes not the neck, but only carpal tunnel at the wrist. Woo-hoo we've nailed it!
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The good DR
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A young female doctor, educated in the UK spoke fluent English & was actually a "sanuk dee", fun test chatting as went along.

Pinpoints for nerve testing
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With the test result. it was time to go back to the hand doctor Kanit, he was away again & was not free for 5 more days. I pleaded for an appointment & he graciously agreed to see me in 2-day's time, at which we agreed to do the carpal tunnel surgery in another 3 days. Finally, a winner.
A taxi to his clinic on the day, & almost straight in for surgery. No more waiting around.
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A local anaesthetic, a quick "cut & a tuck" & the job is done.
I felt the needle go in for the Novacaine injection, nothing else after that, & 40 minutes later he said all finished. 3 stitches & a bandage & you're all clear to go. 5,000 baht well spent I sincerely hope.

I'm still stunned at the rapid onset on my carpal tunel syndrome problem, as a few months ago I was claiming I'd never felt better riding my Vstrom after the accident last year & was planning another 1,000 kms non-stop ride Chiang Khong - Nakhon Phanom to test out my stamina. However, looking back the last few months I recall
1. suffering poor sleep, waking up in the night with tingling or numb hands
2. thinking that both the throttle grips on my bikes - the NMax 155 scooter & the Vstrom 650 were getting too stiff. It was my hands losing feeling & not being able to grip fully & twist the throttle!

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Hopefully back on the road again in 2 more weeks, after the stitches are out.
It must be time for some good luck soon!

For medical see also
 
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