|
|
Joined: 6/6/2009
Posts: 4
|
My mother is 66 and in good health until a spinal cord infarct (feb 2008 that occured during embolization prior to thoratic anterior surgery to remove hemangioma. Due to the problem during embolization the thoratic surgery was not performed but they went in from the back and scraped off some hemangioma and bone to allow for some swelling. She is parylzed from chest down. Louisville doctor didn't want to go in and remove hemanagioma so mom began aggressive therapy at Frazier Rehab in Louisville. 4 times a week. Her bowel and bladder have returned and has some motion in both legs. The tumor has now started to show slow growth and is obviously still compressing the spinal cord. Dr. Sonntag at Barrows suggested we look into cyber knife and only do surgery as last resort. When we got to Barrows they had stopped accepting humana insurance so he suggested we go to a cyberknife location closer to home. His fellow suggested Dr. Maciunus in Cleveland. They reviewed her scans and he said she is a canidate for cyberknife so we went to visit and spoke with him and the radiologist, dr. einstein. My mother realizes that this will not return her function but could save any future function loss. At the meeting they said they could only find 20 or so cases like this world wide that had been treated with cyber knife so there was not much to go on. They said they were 80% sure they could stop the growth but it would not shrink it. They said the risks for complications for cyber knife were much less than open surgery which my mom is fearful of. So she had the markers placed last friday. From this she got some new nerve pain and now a week later she has a large amount of swelling in her legs/feet. They gave her a steriod and neurotion a day after the procedure. I am thinking that the marker placement may have caused some swelling and hopefully this new pain will go away but I now worry about swelling during the CK procedure. Also, do you think it is possible that the hemangioma is somehow feeding the spinal cord its blood? If so, with radiation I guess it would be a slow loss so would that be better? Do you think it is possible that the hemangioma will shrink any? How concerned should I be about swelling? My head is spinning on what to do....part of me sayes do nothing but that is not an option to my mom. Please let me know your thoughts on our situation.
melissa stegall
|
|
Joined: 10/10/2008
Posts: 2354
|
We have treated this condition and the treatment is likely to be successful. She is likely to have worse results if she does nothing, but there are some slight risks with treatment as well. In our center, we have treated about 175 spine cases and have had one spinal cord injury from the radiation (leg weakness on one side, not paralysis). That should give you some idea of the magnitude of the risk. Dr. Maciunas is very knowledgeable
Clinton A. Medbery, III, M.D.
St. Anthony Hospital Cyberknife Center
(405) 272-7311
buddy@swrads.org
Mail to:
Clinton A. Medbery, III, M.D.
Southwest Radiation Oncology
1011 N. Dewey Ave. #101
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
|
|
Joined: 6/6/2009
Posts: 4
|
Thank you so much for the quick reply. We were very comfortable with everyone at Dr. Maciunas's office and have a very good feeling about working with his team. It is comforting to read your words. Again, thank you.
melissa stegall
|
|
Joined: 6/6/2009
Posts: 4
|
My mom had the cyberknife procedure in July and went for her 3 month checkup last week. The hemangioma appears to have stopped growing and did shrink! As of now she has had no side effects from the procedure. She will go for another MRI in 3 or so months.
melissa stegall
|
|
Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 928
|
Great news!
Jerome J. Spunberg, M.D., FACR, FACRO
CyberKnife Center of Palm Beach
jspunberg@radiationoncologyinstitute.com
(561) 799-2828 Radiation Oncology Institute
10335 N. Military Trail, Suite C
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561) 624-1717
|
|
|
|