Neurosurgery

whooleeo_sl

shitlord
14
0
Hire a lawyer. You are entitled to much more than medical bills. Lost wages and pain/suffering have real value. I've never advocated frivolous lawsuits just to "get paid" but your case is not that. Don't be short sighted. Good luck with your surgery.
 

eXarc

Trakanon Raider
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Thanks for all of the advice guys, I'm processing it all and will keep updated.

I am still waiting to get evaluated for surgical procedure date/method.

They know I have seen 2 neurologists within this entire last year neither of which would order a scan for me, leaving me at about an 11 month mark of being symptomatic and in pain. I know neuroanything are extremely busy, but is it kosher to call the office and try to push the appointment if my symptoms are persistent and also getting worse? Or do I just atrophy for the next couple of months until they can see me? I don't know, it might seem stupid but I've seen people piss doctors off before and crossed the rubicon over some seemingly asinine bullshit.

Zzzz
 

eXarc

Trakanon Raider
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Ok, updates.

I am seeing a neurosurgeon as follow up after getting an MRI of my neck (came back clean, thankfully) to schedule the surgery itself. We're going through with it and it's going to be a major one, since I'm opting for craniotomy rather than any kind of scopic procedure since draining the cyst rather than removing has a high percentage rate of the cyst refilling with fluid and causing problems again later down the road, and since this cyst is rather large I cannot live with that risk. If it were to split/tear at this point alone, I would be in dire conditions so I can't imagine having it regrow later down the road and have to deal with this again. The surgery will most lately take place in a couple weeks, the doctors said it is rather urgent as at this point I can barely walk properly and coordinate my body very well and have had seizing/convulsions. I am at risk for a stroke/paralysis and losing vision/speech functions at this point unless we act.

So here's the thing - I had an MRI of the brain done in 2011 to screen for similar symptoms although nothing quite as severe as what provoked my current diagnostics (this condition of arachnoid cyst was diagnosed in 2013, September 3 to be specific) with and without contrast. I was told the MRI came back completely clean and saw the report, but never saw the slides myself. The neurosurgeon, understandably, wanted the slides from 2011 to see if this was a pre-existing condition they missed or if this was due to trauma as it does make a difference.

Now, let's say that the cyst was there on the MRI in 2011, although much smaller (and it is completely benign) but they did not tell me about it - do I have a case for malpractice?
My logic is here is that it's an abnormality on the brain and no matter how seemingly irrelevant it might seem, since they failed to warn me about it I am where I am now, requiring major surgery and was in and am currently in excruciating pain for a long period of time as well as out of work for almost 6 months.

Can anyone tell me if I legitimately have a case or not? Obviously I have people in real life helping me with this, but since a few of you said I could ask for advice if I needed it, I would really appreciate all the input I can get.

Not gonna lie bros, the condition could be much worse but I am kind of scared. This shit is no fun.
frown.png
 

nate_sl

shitlord
204
1
I am not a lawyer, but you need to talk to one right away. Preferably one who has a good track record of sueing the shit out of people. This is going to have real consequences on your quality of life going forward. You may have a case against the driver, insurance company, and doctor. They will be foaming at the mouth just to talk with you.
 

eXarc

Trakanon Raider
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502
Thanks for all of the advice and support so far. General consesus is that I should get a lawyer across the board, so it looks like that's what's going to be happening.
 

Dyvim

Bronze Knight of the Realm
1,420
195
Yes on the lawyer part but keep in mind that the brain is the most nourished part of the entire body.
Thats why cysts, cancer and whatnot else can possibly grow that fast; with what your describing this seems to be the case here as well.
So its highly unlikely you can clearly see something on the 2 year old screens, and even if you can make something out -since 2 years later you know exactly where and what to look for- you would prolly still have to prove the doc was incompetent or untrained, drunk that day etc. but thats what only a lawyer could tell you since we are not.
 

Weaponsfree_sl

shitlord
342
1
I had to have an MRI lately as well, and you certainly want to have a few people look at it. Especially if you have ones you can compare from 2011, like you said. I got 2 different opinions on what was happening from 2 different doctors. I don't know specifically how your MRI(s) have been reviewed but the review is a lot of times emailed to India or Hong Kong (this is a real thing), then a doctor glances over the diagnosis from there and goes "Yeah, that's right I think" and just goes with it. The comparison MRI can be really useful in determining if this is a problem exacerbated that someone missed, so besureto get at least another radiologist to go over it closely.
 

Pasteton

Blackwing Lair Raider
2,603
1,716
Ok, updates.

I am seeing a neurosurgeon as follow up after getting an MRI of my neck (came back clean, thankfully) to schedule the surgery itself. We're going through with it and it's going to be a major one, since I'm opting for craniotomy rather than any kind of scopic procedure since draining the cyst rather than removing has a high percentage rate of the cyst refilling with fluid and causing problems again later down the road, and since this cyst is rather large I cannot live with that risk. If it were to split/tear at this point alone, I would be in dire conditions so I can't imagine having it regrow later down the road and have to deal with this again. The surgery will most lately take place in a couple weeks, the doctors said it is rather urgent as at this point I can barely walk properly and coordinate my body very well and have had seizing/convulsions. I am at risk for a stroke/paralysis and losing vision/speech functions at this point unless we act.

So here's the thing - I had an MRI of the brain done in 2011 to screen for similar symptoms although nothing quite as severe as what provoked my current diagnostics (this condition of arachnoid cyst was diagnosed in 2013, September 3 to be specific) with and without contrast. I was told the MRI came back completely clean and saw the report, but never saw the slides myself. The neurosurgeon, understandably, wanted the slides from 2011 to see if this was a pre-existing condition they missed or if this was due to trauma as it does make a difference.

Now, let's say that the cyst was there on the MRI in 2011, although much smaller (and it is completely benign) but they did not tell me about it - do I have a case for malpractice?
My logic is here is that it's an abnormality on the brain and no matter how seemingly irrelevant it might seem, since they failed to warn me about it I am where I am now, requiring major surgery and was in and am currently in excruciating pain for a long period of time as well as out of work for almost 6 months.

Can anyone tell me if I legitimately have a case or not? Obviously I have people in real life helping me with this, but since a few of you said I could ask for advice if I needed it, I would really appreciate all the input I can get.

Not gonna lie bros, the condition could be much worse but I am kind of scared. This shit is no fun.
frown.png
Arachnoid cysts are extremely common and a 2.2cm one is pretty small. Much larger arachnoid cysts often cause no symptoms at all. You must have been extremely unlucky with where this one was located. They also don't grow that quickly usually so your case is very unusual. Are they sure it's an arachnoid cyst and not some type of post traumatic pseudocyst related to the accident? Like a rent in the dura with some accumulation of fluid. Anyways the prior MRI will be very helpful to clear that up.

Just curious what convinced the neurosurgeon this was the cause of your symptoms? In the recent MRI did they mention that this cyst is pushing on anything? In guessing its obstructing the ventricles somewhere?
I would imagine that if you are going to surgery then he must have imaging evidence proving this cyst is compressing something that is responsible for your symptoms.

On a side note - be very careful with chiropractors. More than once have seen arterial dissections from neck 'adjustments" that lead to major strokes in people in their 20s and 30s. Not sure how the chiros have kept that shit out of the media
 

eXarc

Trakanon Raider
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502
Arachnoid cysts are extremely common and a 2.2cm one is pretty small. Much larger arachnoid cysts often cause no symptoms at all. You must have been extremely unlucky with where this one was located. They also don't grow that quickly usually so your case is very unusual. Are they sure it's an arachnoid cyst and not some type of post traumatic pseudocyst related to the accident? Like a rent in the dura with some accumulation of fluid. Anyways the prior MRI will be very helpful to clear that up.

Just curious what convinced the neurosurgeon this was the cause of your symptoms? In the recent MRI did they mention that this cyst is pushing on anything? In guessing its obstructing the ventricles somewhere?
I would imagine that if you are going to surgery then he must have imaging evidence proving this cyst is compressing something that is responsible for your symptoms.

On a side note - be very careful with chiropractors. More than once have seen arterial dissections from neck 'adjustments" that lead to major strokes in people in their 20s and 30s. Not sure how the chiros have kept that shit out of the media
Yeah, I'm aware of how comon they are. Strange that you say that this is pretty small because ever single doctor qualified in the field I've talked to has said that this isn't small at all, but perhaps they mean the size in regards to the length of time in which it grew...

Also aware of the fact that most are completely benign and are completely asymptomatic but my symptoms are undeniably present, as for the exact cause I won't know until next Tuesday. (Hopefully)
October 22nd should be the day where they have a full diagnostic ready, after comparing all MRIs and having multiple doctors consult on my case so as for your questions, I'm not going to know what it is exactly until then. I'd rather not play the guessing game. From what the slides reveal and the reports state, it is altering the contour of several cranial nerves as well as the vagus and hypoglossopharyngeal nerves/nerve roots.
 

Pasteton

Blackwing Lair Raider
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Yea, it sounds like its in a bad spot. Maybe they mean its large relative to the area it's in, causing an impact on adjacent structures. My guess is skull base/jug foramen.
A large number of these cysts are higher up, (in areas called the temporal fossa and higher in the posterior fossa), where they can be 4cm even and cause little symptoms. But again that involves how quickly they grew - if something was in someone's brain their whole life it's less likely to cause problems, even if its larger than something small that popped up quickly
 

eXarc

Trakanon Raider
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502
Well, you were spot on. It's between my brainstem and other sensitive areas. They have to operate through the base of my skull around by going in around my ear apparently. Talk to the surgeon specialist this coming Monday, I guess to discuss it more and schedule it.

Fuck me.