Translabyrinthine Approach

[Fender3131]

Hello All,

I am new to the site and to the AN world. However, I have been doing my research!

I just was diagnosed with an AN of 2.8cm with many cysts. My Neurosurgeon recommended the Translabyrinthine Approach for microsurgery.

Have any of you dealt with a cyst filled AN?

Is there any difference with recovery time regarding a cyst filled vs. solid AN?

What about regrowth rate for microsurgery?

I am weighing my options and it seems I am on the borderline for having Radiation Treatment or Microsurgical removal.

Can any of you shed some light on my questions above?

Any and all thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

[kmr1969]

Fender,

My tumor was almost the same size as yours.  I think you are correct that you are at the upper range for radio surgery.  I spent a lot of time researching GK because surgery really didn't appeal to me, but I finally did go the surgery route and had translab.  I am, of course, SSD in my right ear, but I have no regrets.

Hopefully, someone can comment on your questions about cysts.

Keep doing your research and asking questions, you will get lots of help and advice, but keep focused on the end result and you will do fine whatever you choose.

Best wishes,

Ken

[millie]

Dear Fender 3131,
You may want to read my posts entitled Translab NYU October 17th 2012.  My tumor was smaller, but I felt better having it out of my head-I figured I am 65 now, so I'll have the surgery because I'm in pretty good shape and I can  still tolerate it ...and if I'm 75 and it comes back, I'll have it radiated.  However, a doctor told me each person is a deifferent case.
Going into surgery was easy-the nurse hugs you about the shoulders and walks you in.. the operating room's nice and bright-lots of people milling about -then the anesthesiologist on that little stool with the wheels rolls over to you and that's all you remember!  Then of course, you're waking up and your hard work starts.  The first three days were really hard for me but I just prayed a lot and wished I could sleep-too many visitors and really uncomfortable.  (No pain to speak of.)At first it was hard to walk, but  by the third day I was pretty steady. In on the 17th and out on the 20th.
The recovery from translab was lenghthier than I expected, but  it gets better all the time.
Best wishes, whatever you decide.
Mil

[james e]

I had a translab, but there were no cysts involved. All of my tumor was removed, and my followup MRIs are clean 3 years after the surgery. My guess about difference in recovery time between cyst vs no cyst is really a guess...can't think of a reason why it would be any different.

The physical part of the surgery was not hard to recover from for me. I was 60, in tip top physical shape. The hardest part for me was getting used to being wonky all the time. Your brain is going to have all sorts of new inputs, and getting used to that is far more difficult that recovering from the physical part of the surgery. But there is PT for that, and it will help.

Surgery vs radiation..."that is question." To be, or not to be! I went through that for about two months. I used the Ben Franklin method, and chose surgery. Others chose radiation. Both ways are worthy. Your brain will still have to get used to all the new signals either way. Read this site from front to back, ask questions, but no one here will give you the answer about what type of treatment you should get.

This is a great site. At 2 in the morning, when you are full of anxiety, log on and you can read about our experiences, and put together the good vs the not so good. You are asking the right questions.

James

[millie]

Amen!

[Rjacks14]

I'm having translab 1.7 left side in a few weeks.  Thanks for posting it has made me a little less fearful.  The thought of the whole procedure is pretty daunting.