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Pseudomeningocele: Anyone have heard of this or have this????

Posted , 3 users are following.

Linleel
Linleel

Been researching possible reasons why I feel worse than I did prior to surgery!

Pseudomeningocele:   "A leak of spinal fluid through the duraplasty creates a pocket of CSF in the posterior cervical muscles. If the fluid collection enlarges, it pushes the duraplasty membrane into the foramen magnum region causing crowing and recurrence of the Chiari symptoms. In a few cases, spinal fluid leaks through the incision and, if untreated, leads to infection.

While a number of Chiari centers have been able to keep the risk of pseudomenigocele very low, rates as high as 18% patients have been reported.  

If the PM is small, it can be observed with follow-up MRI scans and may resolve on its own. However, large persistent PMs pose difficulties. The duraplasty can become adherent to the underlying cerebellar tonsils and block CSF flow. Once adherent, surgical revision is difficult."

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • htch
    htch Linleel

    Posted

    I had this following my surgery in March. I was told it was rather large !!

    My neck was visibly swollen to look at and it was restricting my movement of my head. It continued to detoriate, I then developed a nasty chest infection which as you imagine along with a cough following decompression was not at all pleasant. 

    I ended up back in hospital, they gave me a Lumbar puncture which gave immediate relief but only lasted 24 hours. 5 days later I was back vomiting, with severe head pain, severely dehydrated, and with the fluid leaking from my decompression wound. 

    I was diagnosed with Intracranial Hypertension and had to have an LP shunt fitted to stop the high pressure. I'm ok now and the shunt stopped the headaches and pain almost immediately

  • carolyn02852
    carolyn02852 Linleel

    Posted

    Hi Linleel,

    I am wondering if maybe this is happening with my daughter as well, she had her 2nd decompression surgery November 2015, after surgery she did develope aseptic meningitis which took a while to resolve. She has been experiencing a rather severe chiari headache for 10 days now with no relief at all. This is her first post-operative chiari headache, and I have been trying to figure out why she has gotten such a bad one so soon after surgery.

  • Linleel
    Linleel

    Posted

    FINALLY MET WITH MY NEW NS.   He wasn't impressed that I had been researching and looking at Patient forums and inferred that these forums know nothing!  Well Nothing New! This NS claimed that everything was great and could be seen on my MRI- which they showed to me.

    So apart from being adamant that my surgery went well, This doctor was bizarre! Kept looking down, adjusting his pants, looking away. No Eye Contact. Must have been afraid I would sue them all. However, I am a woman of science!! I can see the MRI results with photos showed everything was good. I guess the Office Manager I had complained to must have talked to him.  So NO IDEA what is causing the dizzy, imbalance, etc. Is sending me to have another vestibular analysis done. 

    *Heavy Sigh*

    • Linleel
      Linleel

      Posted

      So tired of having some that no one knows what it is. cry

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