Jezebel
Core
Engnr/Paul has been suffering from vertigo like symptoms for the last 12 months or so. More recently he has also had major balance issues, inability to walk in a straight line, difficulty getting his words out and significant memory loss. Unfortunately without insurance the cost of an MRI made it impossible to rule out any sort of brain mass. With my new job with CFBISD came insurance and on Friday he finally had the scan. An hour later his doctor called him and asked him to sit down.
The MRI found a large tumour in Paul’s brain that is approximately 4.5cm large. Today we had an appointment with a neurosurgeon. He showed us the MRI image and we were both shocked at its size. However, as brain tumours go Paul has a “good” one. The doctor thinks it is an Ependymoma which is in 99% of cases benign. The tumour is on the base of his brain putting pressure on the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] ventricle and brain stem. Paul’s brain was significantly distorted in shape. He also has a mild case of hydrocephalus, water on the brain, as a result of the position of the tumour restricting the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid.
We are waiting on a surgery date but it will be in the next week hopefully. The surgeon will firstly make a hole in the top of Paul’s skull and place a stent that will go into the chlorid plexus (?), where the cerebrospinal fluid is produced, and release the pressure. Once that’s done they will go through the back of Paul’s neck, remove a 3cm piece of bone and then spread the two hemispheres of the brain to uncover the tumour. Most of it should be fairly easy to remove. Some of it the surgeon is unsure of due to the fact that it goes around a bend. Until they operate they will not be able to determine the consistency of the tumour. If it is soft, like marshmallow, it should come right out. If it is calcified there may be some difficulty with the removal. The tumour is also growing up against the brainstem so if it is adhered or calcified the surgeon said he will leave that portion alone. There was indication on the MRI of some calcification. The surgeon needs to reduce the tumour by approximately 50% or less for the dissection to be to the extent that the rest of Paul’s treatment can be completed via radiotheraphy.
Once the surgery is complete, Paul will be in ICU for 1-2 days, hospital for 3-5 days and then hopefully home to recover. He will also have another MRI after 48 hours to determine how much tumour remains. This will dictate the dosage and length of his radiotheraphy. This will kill the remaining tumour, which fortunately is a type that is very sensitive to radiotherapy.
Once this is done and the tumour is no more, Paul’s prognosis is 100% recovery and no reoccurrence.
Anyone interested in what Paul’s surgery will look like:
[video=youtube;oZKpkQeC1Pg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZKpkQeC1Pg[/video]
The MRI found a large tumour in Paul’s brain that is approximately 4.5cm large. Today we had an appointment with a neurosurgeon. He showed us the MRI image and we were both shocked at its size. However, as brain tumours go Paul has a “good” one. The doctor thinks it is an Ependymoma which is in 99% of cases benign. The tumour is on the base of his brain putting pressure on the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] ventricle and brain stem. Paul’s brain was significantly distorted in shape. He also has a mild case of hydrocephalus, water on the brain, as a result of the position of the tumour restricting the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid.
We are waiting on a surgery date but it will be in the next week hopefully. The surgeon will firstly make a hole in the top of Paul’s skull and place a stent that will go into the chlorid plexus (?), where the cerebrospinal fluid is produced, and release the pressure. Once that’s done they will go through the back of Paul’s neck, remove a 3cm piece of bone and then spread the two hemispheres of the brain to uncover the tumour. Most of it should be fairly easy to remove. Some of it the surgeon is unsure of due to the fact that it goes around a bend. Until they operate they will not be able to determine the consistency of the tumour. If it is soft, like marshmallow, it should come right out. If it is calcified there may be some difficulty with the removal. The tumour is also growing up against the brainstem so if it is adhered or calcified the surgeon said he will leave that portion alone. There was indication on the MRI of some calcification. The surgeon needs to reduce the tumour by approximately 50% or less for the dissection to be to the extent that the rest of Paul’s treatment can be completed via radiotheraphy.
Once the surgery is complete, Paul will be in ICU for 1-2 days, hospital for 3-5 days and then hopefully home to recover. He will also have another MRI after 48 hours to determine how much tumour remains. This will dictate the dosage and length of his radiotheraphy. This will kill the remaining tumour, which fortunately is a type that is very sensitive to radiotherapy.
Once this is done and the tumour is no more, Paul’s prognosis is 100% recovery and no reoccurrence.
Anyone interested in what Paul’s surgery will look like:
[video=youtube;oZKpkQeC1Pg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZKpkQeC1Pg[/video]
