Post-op Complications

[mayflower09]

Hello everyone,

My husband was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation and syringomyelia (C6-C7 syrinx) in April 2014.  He just had his decompression surgery on the 26th (3 days post op) and I think the technical terms are a craniectomy, suboccipital laminectomy decompression, with duraplasty using a bovine patch. His neurosurgeon is Dr. Robert Friedlander in Pittsburgh, PA. After waking up from a successful surgery, he was extremely nauseated.  That night he vomited once and had a bad reaction to Reglan (antinausea, antiemetic) but by the next evening he was walking around, eating meals, and feeling pretty good considering the type of surgery he had.  But later that same night the nausea returned, as did the vomiting.  He was unable to take pretty much all his oral medications, so he was on barely anything so they did not believe the vomiting was due to the meds.  At this point he has been severely nauseous and vomiting for 36 hours and none of the medications they are giving him are working to stop it or decrease it.  They have finally given him Ativan to sedate him but this is not fixing the problem, because when he does open his eyes for a moment, he says he's still nauseous. He is back on IV fluids as of yesterday because he cannot keep any liquids or food down.  He says he prefers to lay flat because it makes him feel a little better.  Could this be a sign of a leak?  He does not have a headache and the neurosurgical intern said that if he had a leak it would be coming out of the incision.  If anyone has any advice or had a similar experience, I would greatly appreciate it.  It is discouraging because he was doing so well on Friday and they were ready to release him for the following morning, and is now so sick. Thank you in advance!

[Elisaandbucky]

Hi, I read your post about your husband's resulting complication of nausea and vomiting. I wish to send you good thoughts and prayers. The nausea and vomiting are an ongoing challenge for me, and it is what scares me the most because there does not seem to be any warning. It has happened to me while driving numerous times. My husband has the most difficult time with the vomiting, and I imagine you feel the same way. Seeing someone getting nauseous and vomiting is difficult because there really is nothing concrete that you can do to relieve him. I hope you BOTH feel better soon.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum,

Yes I would suspect a leak and it does not have to be trickling out of the incision in order to be one.....
If he is feeling better laying flat it is most likely a leak but he should also be checked for infection too.

Were related conditions ruled out b4 surgery like ehlers-danlos*? Many with this related condition may develop issues with a dura patch made of anything other then their own tissue....

Look to EDS* as well as a possible issue with the patch.

Many with EDS* also have issues with meds and find it difficult to find meds they do not have a reaction to as well....

Keep pushing for answers and I am sending prayers ur way for u and ur DH that he feels better soon <3