Chiari Malformation and Ear drainage with blood

[lhshoffner]

I have Chiari Malformation 1 and have had 2 decompression surgeries in 2000. I have had to have a mastoidectomy, and a tube placed in my ear in 2006. Currently I have drainage coming from my ear with blood mixed in it. It started with a "popping", feeling like an ice pick in my head. Could this blood be coming from my brain? I have also had headaches 10 times worse than a migraine, It gets so bad that sometimes I literally can't walk. Could all of this be a part of Chiari? I know I have had the 2 surgeries, but both times my symptoms were different from these.

[selmaS]

  Oh so a cadaver patch....I just wonder if ur body is rejecting it....but ur surgery was so long ago...not sure that would be an issue now...it usually happens right away or with in 6 months time.

Chiari III...so did u have surgeries when u were an infant?

[lhshoffner]

Please don't apologize for asking all the questions, I understood why you did. The patch is from a donor. I went to my Dr. a week ago this last Friday and they are trying to get me an appointment to see a neurologist. He gave me a cortisone shot for the popping, he said that usually the popping does not happen with the Chiari.  The drainage didn't start til Saturday, so Monday I called in because I felt that maybe I had an ear infection. He put me on antibiotics. But now I am not so sure about the ear infection and that is why I was asking here. Also I misposted that I had Chiari 1. It is actually 3. Thank you so much for the advice.

[selmaS]

  Hi sorry for all the questions, but many times it can be easier to find out more of what is going on by asking a few.....

So ur tissue patch they harvested that from u?....many times ur scalp or ur thigh....

With the symptoms u describe it reminds me of another CSF leak or something along that line...it is possible to have blood in the CSF fluid....and it can leak thru the ear....

Have u been checked since u had ne of these symptoms? If not that is the only thing I can suggest....

[lhshoffner]

To be honest I'm not sure which one I had done. I do know that I had a tissue patch to replace the bone that they removed from the base of my skull. The second surgery was because the patch had tore and I has spinal fluid leaking onto my brain. The last MRI I had was a little over a year ago. And they checked due to a car accident I was in. I really hope this answers your questions.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

There are diff types of decompression surgery that is done, do u know what all u had done during urs? Did u have a lamenctomy, a duraplasty? if u had a duraplasty what type of patch was used?

When was ur last MRI?

Were u checked for related conditions?