Ask The Doctor

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Permalink Reply by Ginny Tocci on March 23, 2010 at 3:09pm

There was a recent question regarding the use of radiation for brain aneurysm treatment.

Dr. Christopher Ogilvy, Director of Neurosurgery at Mass General replied: "Never heard of radiation to cure an aneurysm."

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Permalink Reply by wilma stewart on November 22, 2010 at 5:13pm

They gave me radiation, I wonder why

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Permalink Reply by pat.om@frontier.com on September 11, 2011 at 8:47pm

Ginny,

Would the person asking this have meant the volume of radiation required in running the  arteriography (fleuroscopic x-rays?) equipment used in diagnosis, coil/stent implants and then all the follow-up angios and of course those used in a growth monitoring process? 

Does the arterography have a much higher level of radiation than other radiographics, i.e. CTAs, MRAs, and of course, those w/o the "A"s?  In locating arteriography data, it was geared to those used for the heart; and, can only assume it would be the same/similar for those used in the brain.  

Is there a certain volume of radiaton over a certain time frame which can/may trigger other disease, i.e. cancers?  

Then, is it this level of radiation that causes the hair loss so many of us go through, or is the hair loss related to contrast dye or some other pharma used in the process?

Ginny, thanks so much for your help here. 

Pat

 

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Permalink Reply by pat.om@frontier.com on September 23, 2011 at 4:17am

Ginny...I so hope you will pass this on to Kathleen or the BAF consulting staff...

Thanks,

Pat

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Permalink Reply by Ross Bonander on March 23, 2010 at 4:49pm

Is it reasonable to hope that a fusiform aneurysm on the anterior cerebral artery might be approached transnasally and not cranially?

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Olfert on March 26, 2010 at 1:10am

I saw a program on t.v where they used a GLUE like substance to repair a brain aneurysm. It was applied like coils would through a tube! I believe it was a American based television program. Are there any studies going on currently using some kind of substance that can fill the aneurysm, something other than coils?
Thank you
Tracy Olfert

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Permalink Reply by jdseykrh on October 12, 2010 at 10:03am

Hello Tracy
The glue you talk about is call....ONYX. It is a two part substance. Just like epoxy. Please don't do the coiling. I have had a migraine ever since the first ruptured sub arachnoid aneurysm and it hasn't gone away yet. 1 year later it started leaking and had to be repacked. That was about 1 years ago. I wish I knew about how this would have turned out. I wouldn't be here today. I can't find anyone that seems to be able to tell me anything about my survival and if it will get any better. This morning I woke with my head pounding so bad I have been in tears for over two hours. I got up as fast as I could and took my meds and after 1 1/2 hours it is just now starting to settle down enough that I can start to move around. Every once in awhile I loose a whole day and night. There for awhile I had no yesterdays. when I would wake up in the morning and go for coffee and meds I would walk out and it looked like someone broke into my house and ate my food and trashed my house. It seemed to get better for awhile. I was getting happy to be able to remember again. Then you take a few steps back. Then you get discouraged. It has been almost 3 years and this last weekend I seem to have lost a day that I don't remember at all I dis assembled my motorcycle. A Harley Ultra. On Monday my work called to see if I was coming in. After explaining I thought it was Sunday and told her I would be in Tue. so I took my trash into the garage and there it was...the fairing, gas tank, trunk were on the floor. I don't even remember why or even doing it.I seem to remember a couple of bolts that were hard to get loose but that is all. I think the quality of life should be decided before any doctor should try and save anyone.They say we have to many people in the world today...then why don't they start letting some of us go. They could go by age,and the type and quality of life they had before the aneurysm. I can tell you I so regret the day UPS found me in the ditch. It has been a curse ever since. Not only the pain but how I act also, I don't think I am different but life is very different than before the rupture. I have no friends left. I don't know why...I don't argue or fight with anyone they just seem to have faded away.... I think just because you can save someone doesn't mean you should. The quality of life should be considered before anyone is saved. My only mistake was having good insurance. Trust me....If I didn't have good insurance..... I don't think they would have given the same effort to save me and really really wish they would have left me alone. I think if you have a family that cares and you are young enough to recover then sure try anything. I am 57 and single. It turned my life into a nightmare of its own. My life went from tuff to a complete disaster and constant pain. My own family have called me and told me they are tired of hearing about my head. They say when they call its all about me and they are tired of hearing about it. I remember the Doc saying when I woke from the comma, The life you knew before... you will never have again...boy was she right. I just wish Doctors would realize not everyone wants or even needs to be saved. I wish I knew it was going to turn out like this.... I would never have left the hospital alive. I think all the pain is caused by the metal in my head. DON'T let them use the coiling. If you have to fly to where ever they know how to use ONYX Treatment do it. I was a Jeweler and now those days are over...I can't see half the time due to migraines. Every day I have at least 1/3 of my vision a mess and those are the good days. I think there should be a service to prepare you for what your life is about to be and how to deal with it before the aneurysms burst. I don't want to scare you but at the same time facts are facts You are young and very pretty so you have a great chance of having friends and a better kind of recovery but as a coil receiver...all I can say is I would never do it again even if it meant death. I heard great results if you have it done before the aneurysm bursts. One woman was back to work in a couple of day's after the onyx treatment like nothing ever happened.

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Permalink Reply by wilma stewart on November 22, 2010 at 5:48pm

You need to meet my family doctor. If your so old or have too much wrong . If h e don't see it, he don't look for it, why look for trouble. He ask me why I keep going to the surgeon for check-ups that I have too much wrong. Only 8 things, They ask my family 4 or 5 times to let me go that I was brain dead. They treated me at family request, So far I'm happy about it. I away said that I didn;t want to be a nothing, if I couldn' live a real life take care of my self that I didn't want to live, to let me go. I'm really mix up now, after having them cleaning my behind in front of grandkids and family. I'll be praying for you and I hope and you get better.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica thomas on October 17, 2011 at 1:37am

Hi there alĺ I can suggest is write notes like when you took your bike apart leave a note by it saying why you did it I am sure there was a valid reason when you were actually taking it apart. And never think like that you would be better off not being here you were given a second chance for a reason. And lastly try to retrain your brain into remembering things brain training on the ds helped me. I couldn't even remember what a plum looked like but I am so glad I lived even with my headaches cause since my aneurysm ruptured I have had to little boys who also wouldn't of been here had I have died. Just be happy. Jess.xxx

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Permalink Reply by Jen Rigg on March 26, 2010 at 8:56am

What is the treatment of choice for treating a residual collection of CSF under the skin after a craniotomy? (I believe it's called pseudomeningocele) Apparently it's not uncommon but most resolve spontaneously so my question is about those that don't resolve. Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on September 13, 2011 at 8:53pm

I am interested in this as well.  Pretty sure I keep having leaks... it has almost been a yr since my surgery.

 

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Permalink Reply by debbie thomas on March 28, 2010 at 11:13pm

I had in brain anurysm in o6. Had my struggles, but now Im just suffering with short term memory loss. My anurysm was in the front lobe. I was diagnosed with a cateract in one of my eyes, infact, i am going to have a lense transplant end of april. I also have dry eyes from the cymbalta that I take daily, along with alot of other drugs. The side that I had the anurysm on, the eye that neeeds operated the eye is at half mask. Its closed half the time. Called the ye doc and he said that dryness of the eye will not make the eye close. I do know that various autoanune diseases effect the eye. Anyone out there that can give me dvice on this problem. Afraid that the eye has something to do with the eye lip drooping

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