Chiari 0

[Viva001]

I had a severe cervical compression and a laminectomy 12 years ago.  My dr. Is Michael Rosner, and although I was never "normal" again, I was much improved until recently.  Now he has diagnosed me w/Chiari 0, but he has left the decision for surgery up to me.  A neurologist and a neurosurgeon both say I don't need surgery and won't be any better afterwards.  Right now I'm trying to cope with at least a dozen capricious symptoms.  My question is, how does one decide when it's time for surgery?

[Viva001]

Hi Selma, thanks.  I suppose I need to get to the point where I can even formulate questions (you don't know what you don't know).  Lately I've been dating a lot of doctors, and 1 even broke up with me, lol.

I do trust dr. Rosner though, but I'm in nc, & his reputation preceeds him, which I think creates a bias.  :(. Needless to say, he was the only one to consider what my *symptoms* are.

How do I locate his patients here?  Thanks again.
Vivian

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Chiari is life altering, regardless of surgery...that said, to know if u r ready for surgery is to look at ur symptoms and how the chiari is affecting ur overall health...

Most chiari specialists like Dr Rosner leave the decision up to u to have surgery unless it is  a life threatening issue....so u may be able to go some time feeling as u do b4 u have surgery...and only he can tell u if u have an obstruction of CSF to know if u have the threat of a syrinx forming.....

  And it is possible for u to feel worse post op, as u can develop a condition like PTC that some do for unknown reasons,....or a leak, or an infection....

  Ask many questions...what Dr R thinks in regards to surgery, what the benefits would be at this time...what he would need to do, laminectomy with duraplasty etc....if a duraplasty what type of patch?

  Do u have other related conditions like EDS?

   U just may need more answers b4 u can answer that one big question u have.