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Awaiting 2nd MRI for Meningioma: What are possible effects of surgery?
Brain Tumor | Last Active: 2 days ago | Replies (37)Comment receiving replies
I am frightened and because of loss of my husband, mother and now father, I need to make this decision alone. The first opinion said it was "just" a meningioma so we will do a follow up MRI with contrast in a year. I went for a second opinion because I had been unsteady and there were some mobility issues. The second opinion was at a more major medical center (Georgetown) and after a great deal of studying, the neurosurgeon recommended the craniotomy. It seems the meningioma is very close to the optic veins/arteries. Right now, there is space, but if there is a growth spirt (it is currently 2 1/2 cm) it is a more challenging procedure. This group seems to have been through a great deal, and I do not know if a procedure in my frontal lobe is something to go into and how the craniotomy will impact me and how my brain responds to a surgery in the frontal lobe and if I will have the same emotions (good and bad). For a variety of reasons, there are no family members to discuss this whole thing with and the doctor wants to do the surgery the second week of June. Do I have to write a will? What questions should I be asking the doctor specifically. He has tried to explain but the only risks he speaks about are infection. I always worry when a surgeon makes it seem like it will be very simple and I will not have after effects of losing a lot of advanced education. It seems like there are alternatives, but radiation was not the option he thought was viable. Looking for a mentor/buddy through this. Considering asking for another MRI in July to see if there is growth but not sure if my fear is a reason to put this off.
Replies to "I am frightened and because of loss of my husband, mother and now father, I need..."
@loujo I would look for someone from a major medical Center close to wherever you are. Mayo is always an excellent choice, I believe NYU is number one in the world, and there’s excellent centers on the West Coast as well. Find somebody that does the endoscopic nasal approach and does at least 100 or more per year. There’s a good article that states if they do 100 or more per year, the complication rates drop drastically.
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@loujo if you’re not completely comfortable with what he’s saying, get a third opinion. I went to three different neurosurgeons, and two of them completely agreed. I would’ve felt comfortable with either one of them. Both of them offered, and scopic minimally invasive approach through the sinuses. My tumor was also 2.5 cm and pressing up against my optic nerves and optic chiasm. I did have surgery, but you should be taking it seriously as our possible complications, including stroke and death. luckily, these are almost always very slow growing and not cancerous so don’t feel rushed into any opinion.