A little over 2 years ago I had a craniotomy to clip my aneurysm. I had a very good recovery. In the past couple of months I developed an infection that is in the bone and/or titanium plate. I had a CT yesterday but my surgeon is on vacation so I won’t know the results for a bit. Surgery is scheduled for 8/24 with my neurosurgeon and a plastic surgeon which assumes that my titanium plate will need to be removed and replaced with either another plate or cement. Has anyone had this surgery recently? I see the post below is similar but not exactly the same. They don’t anticipate much of a recovery but still it’s not fun having someone cut open your head. Thanks for reading and for any advice you may have!
Hey Elizabeth,
“…it’s not fun having someone cut open your head…” Not at all. I agree 100%. I’ve had a few neurosurgeries and none of them have been anything like fun.
I’ve had a craniotomy and have 3 plates holding it all together, thankfully my bone flap has remained stable. My plates are not so much more prominent but rather the indentations (holes) in my skull seem to have deepened. Some people speak of the plates becoming more prominent over time an having them removed. I must admit you are the first I’ve heard of personally having them replaced, but then an infection in the bone would clearly explain why that is required.
Please do let us know how it all goes. I, for one, would be certainly be interested.
Hello Elizabeth- I am sorry to hear that this is happening. I had my craniotomy 20 months ago and I have been doing well. How do you know that you had developed an infection? Did you have pain?
I am hoping that someone in this group will be able to help you with some answers so you can relax. Please stay positive!!
We’re about the same timing with our craniotomies! I hadn’t had any issues at all either but a couple of months ago I developed a dent over my burr hole. I didn’t think anything of it because I assumed it was just normal variation over time, but then it developed a boil looking thing (for lack of a better word!)and it would scab repeatedly but never heal. So I finally called my neurosurgeon and as soon as he saw it he said it was an open wound likely from the bone or plate underneath. It seems like it happens in people who have thin scalps and people with thin scalps are usually women so I am guessing that’s why it happened to me! My surgery is the 24th so I’ll keep you all posted! The hope is that this surgery will take care of the problem and that it won’t become a recurring problem in the future!
Hi, I had two craniotomies, one on either side in 2012 & 2013 for clippings. I had epilepsy symptoms and a CT scan diagnosised 2 x Annies as well. Both clippings went well, however seizures were a complication. I found after the second operation I would have a sharp pain in the “craniotomy flap area” before a Complex Partial seizure. It was abrupt and frightening, like being tapped on the head with a spoon. Very scary, everytime before a seizure and the pain didn’t linger - it would be forgotten immediately. I didn’t think it was worth bothering the Neuro. At a follow-up, I mentioned it, because my epilepsy EEG had changed. The NeuroSurgeon felt the hinge (looks like a figure 8) might be the problem and said it was a simple operation to remove it. Which he did under local anaesthetic, Not General because of the risks of seizure. Anyway, it was successful - felt weird talking to the surgeon throughout while lying on the operating table. There was a lot of force used to unscrew it and as a result I had black eyes appear about three days later. This was more terrifying because it looked like I had been assaulted. If your operation is for something similar - I doubt you will have any problems. I have been seizure free for 18mths now, a long time coming but the Annies were the least of my problems. 7 yrs without driving was a mission. Almost forgot - check if you can drive afterwards. Any brain surgery sets us back a year in NZ. Good luck.
I read all the prior responses and I have to say that you are brave! Going through 1 and another one soon in 2 years. I had my craniotomy almost 3 years ago (3 more months). Scab would indicate ‘unhealed’ wound bleeding to my knowledge. Glad that your surgeon is going to help you.
After 6 months of my craniotomy, I went to a plastic surgeon since my one last scab won’t fall out. He also suggested to ‘remove’ the titanium plates since he believed my scalp is rejecting the protruding plate. Thank goodness it fell off the next day and since then no other scabs were found.
I will pray for your speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing your story. God bless!!
Hi everyone! You guys are the best! My surgery went well yesterday. The bone was infected due to the plate and screws being loose and rubbing repeatedly. So, they removed the plate covering my burr hole along with 5 screws. I have to say it’s more painful than my original craniotomy but maybe it just feels that way because I was really out of it for awhile with my clipping surgery! Oh and the wound that was visible on my forehead was coming from inside from the plate essentially being rejected. Again, I think this happens mostly in people with thin scalps so I don’t think any of you should worry about that!! My doc said it’s 1 in 1000 cases that this happens. And now we just hope the infection stays away! Thank you all again so much for caring!!
Reading your post made me ‘worried’ very much. My doc noted in my ‘surgery’ report that I have **** paper thin scalps****
Now I wonder if it is really migraine headache that I have? Coffee does tame it down, though.
Did you actually feel the ‘rubbing’ between plate and screws? Ouch for the new pain of the wound now.
How is your wound looking now? Scab? Did you have the staples or stitches? Sorry to ask you so many questions. Please only respond when you are fully recovered!
I do wish you the best recovery. You are in my prayers! God bless…
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry if this made you worry! From what they told me it is very, very rare. Some people in my surgeon’s office had never seen it before!
I never got headaches from it. I will say I always was aware of my plate whereas I know other people say they don’t feel them at all. I couldn’t feel it moving at all. There was one screw that bothered me but I just thought it was scar tissue and I guess it moved a bit although I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time. I definitely could feel every part of my plate.
Initially, I developed a very small dent over what I now know was my burr hole. I thought nothing of it because it seems like we always develop new dents after this surgery. But then it developed a boil looking thing for lack of a better word. Then that scabbed over and then the scab fell off and it did that 4 or 5 times. It wasn’t very big…my chart says 6mm. They completely cut out that wound and then underneath scraped the infection out of the bone. In addition to my neurosurgeon there was a plastic surgeon doing the surgery and he stitched up the whole area. There are two incisions…one in the same spot as my initial craniotomy and then one where the open wound was. He warned me I’ll have a scar but my hair will probably cover it. Right now I still have a lot of stitches. I actually go tomorrow to the plastic surgeon for follow up but he said I will likely have the stitches for 2 to 3 weeks before he removes them. Sorry this is so long but I know I would want all the info if this is something I felt worried about! If you do have to have it, it will be ok!!
If I find out any more info tomorrow I will let you know!! I’m so sorry if this made you feel anxious!!
You are amazing… thinking how you type with stitches on your head… I am appreciative! You are brave.
Thank you for the information. I shall be more careful now with my head since I bumped my head a lot while moving around. For some reason, I am just careless kind of person. I hate cleaning the outside windows now. Anywhere I turn, I might hit myself. Now I think I might even open some of the plates if I ever do that again?
I think to educate myself more on my own ‘paper thin’ burr holes, I better check my post-surgery MRA/CTA now. Next, if I gain more courage, I will determine if my ‘feel funny’ parts are indeed those burr holes.
I do feel little pointy things when I shampoo, and from time to time I can feel some pulling/pinch like little ants biting me that kind of thing. My incision line is from the center of my forehead hairline all the way down to my left ear.
Infection of the bone? Mind if I ask if your doctors can tell if the old infection will clear up by what measures? (CTI? MRI? Xray?)
I have to say that your case is the first to my knowledge about burr and plates. Thank you very much for sharing your information. Now my sister will scold me forever since I did not listen to her advice “Not to touch the windows”. We have those old ironcaste crank out windows. They are my enemies now.
