Good Neurosurgeon pls.

[Budgie7]

Hello, I am newly diagnosed, & of course am frightened by this news.  Does anyone know of a really good Neurosurgeon in Victoria, B.C

[selmaS]

  No worries....sometimes I do not pick up just what someone means and y I asked if I had it right.....

I know, this is not a rare condition when so many have it, yet there are so few Drs out there that can offer help.

[Budgie7]

Thank you Selma, yes I did think cauterization& decompression were 2 diff things. Thank you for clarifying this. I am still overwhelmed by this & by the numbers of people of all ages that are affected by this condition.

[selmaS]

  Sorry but again I am confused by ur question, u wondered about the success rate versus decompression....??

I am going to tell u what I think u are asking .....

U seem to think decompression and having the tonsils cauterized are 2 different things and they are not.

During decompression surgery several things may also occur, such as the lamenectomy (removal of bone from C1 and or C2) a dura plasty( if dura is opened) to close they use either bovine, cadaver, synthetic or tissues harvested from the patients scalp or thigh.

Depending on the space they need to make to allow CSF flow and not make ur neck(cervical  spine) too weak, they cauterize the tonsils so they retract up and out of the way....this does not make the tonsils completely un herniated....but gives more room....some have the tonsils wrapped around other strictures and they are cut and removed.

So it really depends on what is going on inside....as to what they will do during decompression surgery.

As for side effects....I did not have both to compare, but I had balance issues b4 and after surgery, but that is all better now...memory issues are short term, loss of words at times...

I have not required more surgery at this time regarding my Chiari....I am 4.5 yrs post op, but I attribute that to my NS that knew which dura patch to use as I also have EDS and I feel that those that have EDS and get a foreign matter patch tend to have rejection issues and produce more CSF and end up with more surgery...JMHO

[Budgie7]

Hi Selma, re; cauterization , sorry didn't word that very well. I  know every case is different, but just wondered the success rate, versus decompression ?  Was your memory & balance affected for awhile during your recovery. ?  Is their any evidence of less surgery  needed later on when cauterization is done ?  Thank you.

[selmaS]

  What kind of info? I had my cerebral tonsils cauterized....I am 4.5 yrs post op and doing well.....

Not sure what u mean by side effects...of the tonsils being cauterized?

[Budgie7]

Thank you Selma , does anyone have info re, cauterization & prognosis/ side effects?

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

We do have a list for those in Canada, it is not a large list yet, as we only add Drs to it that have treated a member here and once they have been treated and liked the Dr we ask them to add the name....see the list of Drs in the Health Pages and click on link for Canada- http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=186

It is normal to be scare by this condition, just know u r not alone and the more u educate urself the better u will be at choosing the right Dr for u.