Hi! I'm going to post a brief history, readers digest version!! I have a small annie, less than 5mm, located deep within the space between the 2 lobes of the brain. It was discovered November 2012, since then, I was scheduled for, and attempted to have it coiled. But, whilst in pre-op my blood tests came back and they were NOT where the Dr's wanted them to be in order to place the stent..sent home, that was in April of 2013. End of May 2013, I was scheduled for a clipping procedure. OK, all a go, admitted, put under and woke up 3 DAYS LATER after what was supposed to be a 5-8 hour surgery that turned into a 15 HOUR SURGERY, it was UNSUCCESSFUL!!!
Ironically, it was my brain itself that prevented the clipping. The 2 lobes of my brain are actually fused together and my veins, instead of being spread are actually clumped together. My surgeon clipped 2 veins in hopes that it would grant him the access he needed to get to the annie but, it didn't work. After being under for so many hours, consulting with the many other surgeons, they decided to close me up and not press any further. It took 3 days to wake me up, and I spent a total of 6 days in ICU and a total of 12 days in the hospital.
Upon my return for my post-op visit, I decided to monitor the annie..for now. The constant trips back and forth, 6 hours each way, the lengthy motel costs, were hard on my family. I have a CTA scan in January to see if there are any changes and if so, where we'll go from there. SO, this is where my questions come in.
I have contacted my surgeons office, asking about the Pipeline procedure and the Liquid Embolics, if they are procedures used there, and what I'm wondering is, if anyone out there has had either of them done?? I understand the coiling..and recently have become aware of a few who have had the coiling and still had them burst. I also know that clipping is NOT an option any longer. The Dr had told me that for the coiling, it would require me to spend a bit of time down there for blood tests and getting it to a therapeutic level that would work for the stent.
Any advice or thoughts on the Pipeline or Liquid Embolic procedure would be helpful!!
Thanks!! Guess it turned out longer than a Readers Digest version!!! :)