Dr. George Paletta, the team physician, said Carpenter's injury was "clearly an unusual and rare situation." He said the team hoped to determine a course of action, surgery or therapy, in a week or so.
Carpenter
The 2005 NL Cy Young winner has been diagnosed with irritation of nerves that feed the muscles in the back of his shoulder, resulting in weakness, scarring and nerve compression closer to the neck. Medical experts consulted thus far believe Carpenter will be ready for spring training with or without surgery.
The biggest concern is a recurrence of the injury that could again derail Carpenter's career.
"If this is a problem that recurs with some frequency, it could be a situation that is a long-term problem," Paletta said. "We're trying to determine whether there is a solution, and one that minimizes any risk.
"And that is something we don't have the answer to yet."
Carpenter missed the 2004 postseason with nerve irritation, and came back without surgery to have the two biggest seasons of his career in '05 and '06. He's been dogged by injuries since, making one start in 2007 before reconstructive elbow surgery, and totaling 15 1/3 innings this season before being shut down earlier this month. He was 0-1 with a 1.76 ERA.
For now, rest has been prescribed.
Carpenter has been examined by three doctors, a neurologist who helped come up with a definitive diagnosis, and two specialists who made treatment recommendations.
"No one has been able to say to him, 'Chris, you have an 80 percent chance or 30 percent or 90 percent chance, that if we do Treatment A or Treatment B, that this is going to resolve the problem," Paletta said. "So we're seeking more opinions."
General manager John Mozeliak said earlier this week that he had been told that a procedure to relieve nerve compression was a "simple surgery" that could have Carpenter returning to activities in six weeks and be fully recovered in about three months. Paletta warned that perspective comes from specialists accustomed to performing major operations.
"From a technical standpoint, the surgery that they're potentially considering is a relatively simple one," Paletta said. "But anytime you're talking about work with nerves, the potential downside is one that's significant."
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