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Has anyone been sliced by the halo during chiari decompression?

I had the chiari decompression laminectomy and duroplasty expansion done. During the surgery everything went well, but then they started to let me wake up before removing anything.
As I started to wake up they tried removing the tube down my throat while I was still in the halo. I know have a gash on the side of my head with staples that actually hurts more than the actual incision. Will this cause any other damage?
I am almost 2weeks post op and everything is hurting pretty bad and still no increase in range of motion.
I feel a burning feeling throughout my head at times, and feels like I can't hold my head up for very long. Is this normal?
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

   Sending prayers your way for answers and relief soon <3

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well I went back to the ER today
I started vomiting and the pain became more intense. They gave me an MRI and they contacted my NS prior and they said it's possible complications
Turns out they don't see a leak, but they gave me 4 doses of dilaudid in 5 hours and I was still in pain.
I am hoping it's not some sort of nerve damage, but I will try contacting the NS again tomorrow as there is something not right and I cannot live like this. I can't focus to go back to work or even take care of my daughter
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Take pictures of the incision and send to your NS....and if you can travel I would head back to them if you are not able to get answers at home.....

It sounds like a possible leak or infection.....

3 weeks post op I had some pressure but I was not laying down flat, I slept in a recliner which was much better for me....but what you are describing sounds more like when I had a CSF leak after having my daughter and an epidural ...

Not sure what you mean by " the hospital said don't stop as he was worried but said my NS should try ordering a MRI"???
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Avatar universal
I am now a little over 3 weeks PO
the last two days I have extreme pressure in my head and it feels like it is going to explode. My balance is also off and I am also having shooting pains down my arms and into my fingers.
I called my NS as he's 2 hours away and said I should not be feeling pressure or balance issues and sent me to the ER to get a CT scan.
The scan came back alright, and they gave me Meds while I was there to help, but the pressure is back and not going away. When i lay down and get back up the pressure is even worse. I am absolutely miserable and not sure if you've heard or experienced this.
The hospital said don't stop as he was worried but said my NS should try ordering an MRI.
My Percocet from surgery only hella relieve some of it for maybe an hour and then it's back again. Nothing seems to be helping right now and the back right side of the incision feels a little bit bigger maybe even some swelling
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  If they said not to use heat stay away from it for now...but heat is what helped the muscles....your use of ice is  for something else....swelling it typically why ice is used.

I did not have a cough post op....but I have always had issues with PND and am on an antihistamine.....I also found out those of us that also have Ehlers-Danlos also tend to over produce histamine which can create more mucus.....talk to your Dr about it to see if taking an antihistamine would help and which they feel is ok at this point in your recovery and other meds you may be on.
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  I know my "wounds" from the halo were very irritated and seemed to bother me more at times then my incision.....

I also had what I called oozing from my incision....but since I have EDS it was not uncommon.....and there are many things that can happen that can affect how you recover....and it can take a time.....

May I ask, do you have swelling that you are using ice? I did not use ice at all....only heat to help the muscles relax....b4 and after my neck exercises.

Not sure how they can blame you for them waking you early...I hope they get over it and help you as needed.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Did you happen to have a cough after your surgery!?
I have a cough and keep coughing up mucus. I am also having chills and I feel them through the incision and they actually hurt believe it or not. I do not have a fever, but was not sure if that's common. I also feel a burning sensation at times.

I do not have swelling as far as I can tell,
I unfortunately live alone and cannot see it besides in a mirror. It is tender to touch, but the hospital said stay away from heat and try just ice for awhile so that's what I was doing, but did try heat after awhile to help
Avatar universal
Thank you for getting back with me.
I am doing my exercises and I go for my follow up next week. I try heat and ice on my neck to try to increase blood flow and loosen the muscles, but if I do not take my muscle relaxers it seems I am just in unbearable amounts of pain. It seems the staples on the side of my head hurt more than the actual incision, but they were not put in correctly as  it seems two are wiggling and not in all the way.
I am staring to bruise around  the incision and it is tender to touch now as well.
That makes sense with the c1 being cut, as I had not heard before of feeling like you cannot hold your head up, but my surgeon didn't mention anything about EDS. I am hoping to have more information at the follow up appointment as to what he saw during surgery.
I felt once they made the mistake and blamed me, the entire staff was rude and not as polite and helpful as they were prior to going in, so I hope they still are able to give me some additional help.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

Hi Amarie and welcome to the Chiari forum and to the Zipperhead club.

I know even without waking someone while in the halo....that the halo can cause pain....I had some that had no idea a halo was used and wondered why that area hurt more then the incision....so the halo can cause a good amount of pain. I doubt it will cause any other issues as long as you do not get an infection in the opened wound....your Dr should be able to give you some anti-biotic topic ointment to help.

To increase ROM it is important to do certain exercises ...use heat to help loosen the muscles and help prevent scar tissue to form.

Yes the bobble head sensation of the head being too heavy can  occur when the patient also has CCI due to having EDS as well as Chiari...the
laminectomy makes the top 2 cervical disk weaker with removal of the bone....and with the joint being weak it can make holding the head up difficult.

I was told b4 my surgery I  had CCI and would need a fusion.....but I did my exercises faithfully and my instability is no longer an issue.....

Are you doing any exercises?
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