I am almost 9 months post surgery and feeling fine except for some minor issues with my jaw and occasional headaches. Id like to hear your experiences concerning dents in the temple area on top of the scar. I reckon not everybody has them as a surgery leftover? I do and mine is sinking in more and more. Most of the time I forget about it cause its covered by my hair. Its still not bad, but I wonder at what point it stops changing?
I have asked the neurosurgeon at my 3 months follow up and he said that the bone hasnt grown together fully at that spot and all will be good after 9 months. Now at 9 months post surgery the dent is still there and the drill hole in the middle (at least I think its the drill hole) is very visible. I made an appointment with my neurosurgeon just to make sure that this really is just a cosmetic problem and the appointment is in two months. The frindly nurse on the phone said that in case it gets a lot bigger or I feel weird I shoud head to the ER (which freaked me out a bit :)).
I was coiled the same day as my aneurysm ruptured and I also have a burr hole at the top of my head, the hole is the size of a fingertip and itâs soft when I touch it. The stitches healed well but this dent remains. I asked my Primary Care Physician about it after about six months when I had an appointment. I asked him to touch it with his finger, he said that as long as I donât poke anything sharp in there, it shouldnât be a problem. I always make sure that my hairdresser knows when she works on my hair. The dent is a little bit uncomfortable to touch but I donât think about it much anymore. It is now 21/2 years from the rupture . It will be interesting to hear about others experiences. If you search on our site you will find some other posts about it.
I can completely relate to your sore jaw. I chewed sugarless gum, gently at first to strengthen the muscles that were cut. Twelve years ago I had half my skull removed to allow for vasospasm (swelling). I have MANY dents but they are mostly covered by my hair. I was initially very freaked out and thought my skull was detaching from the flap surgery, but nothing ever happened. Hang in there.
Yes oh yes!!! I also have a dent or hole whatever itâs called but it is definitely big- when my husband feels it he gets queasy!! It has stopped growing - thank god my hair covers it. I also have alot of little bumps which I think are the screws. I had to have a prosthetic flap on top of the scull since when they took it off, had to make the hole bigger so when they put the scull back on it didnât fit right so they put a flap of some sort over top.
Anyway I have my 1year appointment on Tues after my last CAT scan to talk it over. I do have a lot of questions for them!!
@Tanja I have a dent/scar from where my bone flap did not cede completely to my skull after my second surgery.
It healed just like any other cut but left a 1/2" wide dent/scar. I donât remember how long it took for new hairdressers to stop being squeamish when they first saw the scar but it may have been as long as a couple of years. Fortunately, my hair fully covered the dent/scar until just a few years ago when I began losing hair as many women do as we age.
I never had a problem with it that required medical attention. My own bone was used so I donât have any screws.
My doctor never mentioned the possibility of a dent and suddenly it was there. Mine is on my forehead up high near the part in my hair. It is about the size of a nickel. Itâs tender and freaks me out that if pressed it could cave in!!! Iâm two years out from surgery so hoping it doesnât get any bigger.
Tanja, Almost 17 years since I had 2 crainiotomies and I still have the dents and ridges. They never have caused a health issue and have not really gone away. I am fortunate to have a thick head of hair so they are not really noticeable except for the back one down my neck. Maybe you are just focused on them for now, as I was at times. I have learned not to rest my head by leaning my forehead on my hand as the screws rub on my skin. Hang in there as you adapt to the new you!
my craniotomy to repair a ruptured aneurysm with clip was in 2016. I have had a dent the side of my head by my temple. just some of it showing at the edge of my hair line. my hair covers it. Unless I pull it back. freaks people out. just a dent. glad i have thick hair. but, I asked everyone, âWhy do I have this dent?â Why do I have this dent? No one would answer me. smh. finally, during an EEG, that lady said, oh, I see it all the time. that was the only comfort or affirmation I ever got - until I just read all these posts. It hasnât changed at all. less tender than at first. I never push there! sometimes get tension like pains there that go away. If i ever lose my hair, my head will look awfully funny. But, itâs never been a problem. And I still donât know why itâs there. at times, I thought, am I missing a piece of my brain? thoâ i know thatâs not the case. just always wondering.
Hi @Tanja ,
I am 3 years in September since my craniotomy and clipping. My right temple is interestingly dented and bumpyđ¤. My surgeon told me that itâs to be expected as the muscles have been cut and there is a little bit of atrophy afterwards. He says some surgeons use a bit of surgical âputtyâ to fill in but as there is natural tissue shrinkage, some people end up looking lumpier so he never bothers.
At the start of last year (18 months post surgery), if I got hot and bothered, my temple dent would hurt and the bone edges would feel sharp. Sometimes they still do, but not as often. Also, the skin near my right eye feels like itâs being pulled. Not painful, a similar feeling to having a clay mask on and itâs time to wash it off- that slight tightness. Both the bone discomfort and tight skin feeling have lessened in the last six months so I think the changes are slowing down. Iâm 53, and I wonder if as I age there will be more bone and tissue shrinkage.
Iâm not bothered, my hair (bangs/fringe) covers the temple dent pretty well, and the bone flap is well under my hair and feels like a ridge. I canât feel any burr hole and Iâm no longer tender to touch.
On a funny, unrelated note, Iâve sneezed a couple of times recently and thought I heard a tinkle sound coming from above my eye. Could it be my clips clinking? Maybe my imagination?!
Nat - thank you so much for the answer. What you describe is exactly what I experience! I have read your text in May and have been much calmer since then. Its so good two hear, that I am not âmaking things upâ. And its also comforting that youve reached kind of a steady state after all this time. Thanks again!
I do and mine is sinking in more and more. Most of the time I forget about it cause its covered by my hair. Its still not bad, but I wonder at what point it stops changing?