Source
r/chiari•
tech1337

Decompression surgery question

Hello, for those who have had the decompression surgery. As far as the Dural patch, it seems the surgeon I am leaning towards for the surgery uses fascia lata (I believe), a piece from the leg, as the patch material. I've read plenty about what to expect as far as recovery for your head/neck area. But am wondering if anyone elses surgeon used this technique with them and how recovery went. How is your leg now? How long after surgery we're you walking, etc?

Posted Feb 1, 2019, 11:22 PM UTC

314
CaseyG0401•

My surgeon used cow dura from its heart.

4
DarthDume•

My surgical removed a part of my own skin from my scalp and glued it all together and this was on Thursday. I went home Friday and the scar had no leakage or need for a bandage

2
Thinker177•

What symptoms did you have that made you elect surgery?

2
tech1337OP•

Well this is my syrinx and I seem to be on the milder side of symptoms right now. So the main goal of surgery would be to stop progression, although the surgeon said that the numbness in my fingers and pain in back/shoulder when coughing and sneezing should get better after surgery.

1
Thinker177•

Good luck with everything. What’s the size of your herniation?

1
tech1337OP•

Thanks, the chiari is 8mm

1
Matech•

That is really weird I've never heard of such a thing what kind of surgeon is this, have you asked him how experienced he is with Chiari?

find a Chiari specialist specifically don't just find any old neurosurgeon

1
tech1337OP•

This is a Kaiser neurosurgeon in LA. None of Kaiser's neurosurgeons specialize in chiari or at least thier online info doesn't say. The one guy I found on thier site says he has an interest in it however when I asked about him, I was told he only does pediatric surgery and that he no longer works there. The first surgeon I saw uses an artificial material and is not board certified and seems as young as I am (36). The second surgeon I saw is board certified and has about 15 more years experience. I've read/found literature that talks about using fascia lata in duraplasty and these surgeries, so it doesn't seem like too big a deal, and it's your own body. Just haven't really seen anyone else that's had it. This surgeon says he does one of these about once a month.

1
StrawberryCake88•

It’s worth traveling for quality. I know a genius in NYC if you want info. Best wishes either way.

1
tech1337OP•

Yeah well Kaiser is an in network HMO so unless I want to pay out of pocket, which is not possible, I must see Kaiser Drs.

2
Khirsah01•

Agh hell no! My legs just went to jelly... I have never heard of that for Chiari, my surgeon used bovine cartilage as the dural expansion material.

I wouldn't have gone that route anyways since I'm one of those "lucky" Chiarians that also has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (Classical subtype), that would have made healing a patch like that take forever AND leave a massive fugly raised scar on me that could impinge post-surgical movement like my thicker than normal surgical scar makes it so I can't look up anymore. I have enough issues with my skin and joints, adding extra parts to heal like that is REALLY not recommended for me!

I'd possibly look elsewhere, that sounds like adding a lot of extra healing for nothing since there's other materials out there.

Also, make sure the surgeon has done good decompressions before, the surgeon I got sent to happened to do lifesaving revisions on botched decompressions.

1
tech1337OP•

That's interesting, but I don't believe I have EDS. And I guess not alot of surgeons use this technique, but I've also read that it mostly has to do with how the surgeon was trained in which material and method they use I suppose. I also found it referenced here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944852/ "autologous fascia lata"

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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tech1337OP•

I don't understand the hate on grafts. So you went with synthetic?

1
mrxtheshadowlurker•

I had surgery in 2004 and I remember the doctor giving me three options for the graft: 1) using tissue from an animal 2) using synthetic material they made 3) using my own scalp skin. I don't think my surgeon ever mentioned using a different body part.

1