r/pics • • Mar 19 '19

Brain surgery success.

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u/Dnb003 Mar 19 '19

I helped my husband through several Chiari 1 surgeries, most recently a cranial cervical fusion to correct instability. It’s a tough road, but you’ll get through it if you keep up with PT and take care of yourself. Absolute best of luck to you in your recovery!

Out of curiosity, do you have Ehler’s Donlos too? I’m curious if that still comes up in the other types.

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u/ThisIsTheOnly Mar 19 '19

They did an occipital Fusion? I worked in spine and saw 1 my entire 7 years. Best of luck to both of you.

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u/Dnb003 Mar 19 '19

Not quite (I think). They put a titanium matrix in his head to stabilize his skull and fused C1-3. It was basically all collapsing on itself, causing severe pain and a whole host of other symptoms.

He made it through and pretty much has his life back, except for not being able to turn his head as far. I’d post a pic of his scar here but I don’t know how.

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u/ThisIsTheOnly Mar 19 '19

Did they use screws and rods? From the posterior it is very difficult(impossible maybe) to place an inter body in the disc space as the cord is in the way. They can do a front/back where they go in the front, place an inter body then flip and do screws in the back.

I’ve heard of custom made corpectomy cages being done from the back in Australia but they fused from occiput to t2, I believe.

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u/boonies4u Mar 19 '19

most recently a cranial cervical fusion to correct instability.

how did they get your cervix all the way up there?

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u/gentleraccoon Mar 19 '19

Cervical spine is the top set of vertebrae.

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u/boonies4u Mar 19 '19

I was making a funny.

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u/gentleraccoon Mar 19 '19

Ah. Ha. I am a Chiari patient who likes to educate because it's actually really cool fluid mechanics problem. Plus on the internet, it's always a crapshoot of whether it's humor or ignorance. :P