cf leak/ meningitis

[claireb]

sorry forgot to ask the following - after how many days can a CF leak happen?  and is there need of another operation?  also i had read that some people can get meningitis after the op, did any one of you have this complication?
thanks
cliare

[Denise]

Hi, my CSF leak occurred about six weeks after my surgery.  I developed NO complications from that surgery.
Hope this helps,
Denise

[krbonner]

CSF leaks can happen (as I understand it) up to months after, though it's mostly within the first couple of weeks.  They do not always require additional surgery or shunts, but if they do it's usually pretty quick and simple.

Meningitis is a risk of any surgery that messes around in your spinal fluid.  It's a pretty rare complication, and easily treated with antibiotics if it does come up.  That's part of why the nurses are probably taking your mom's temperature all the time - to see if there's any infections setting in.

Katie

[Yvette]

The most important thing to know, is that you do not want a CSF leak! Mind doctor's orders, don't strain, don't lift more than 10lbs, and even after your recovery time is supposedly finished, continue to be careful, moderate in exercise, listen to your body. I developed a "fluid pouch" while post op exercising, the week after the doc's said it was ok to return to my workout routine. So be on the conservative side of everything.
Best wishes, Yvette

[eugd]

Yvette did that pocket ever resolve on its own or did you have any procedure?

[cookiesecond]

Hi Claire,
About 2 weeks after my surgrery I developed meningitis. My  first hospital stay was 6 days for the surgery. I was readmitted for 10 days with the meningitis. It was worse than the surgery!!! I was really sick and my head hurt so much.I was given strong iv antibiotics.
I  am praying you don't have to deal with that.
Take care,
Lynn

[chrissmom]

I found it helpful to report any unusual symptoms immediately.  I sat by his side all last summer and I reported anything unusual, even at the risk of being a pest.  I felt that I know him best.  On one occasion this vigilance saved his life.  The shunt failed and hydrocephalus set in. No one noticed he slept all day and was breathing differently but I did and I forced the nurses and interns to look at him and get a CT scan.  They rushed him to surgery.  My advice...stay vigilant and report anything unusual...ask lots of questions.

[Static]

My surgery was in January, I didn't say anything about the drip coming out of my nose until May and it had started sometime probably in March.  I was a bad girl and should have spoken up sooner but honestly, I was hoping it would just go away.  It didn't.  I was very careful after my surgery.  I had alot of help.  I didn't do any lifting, bending or anything.  I was very careful.  It didn't matter.  It happened anyway.  I was afraid to go through another surgery like the one I just went through.  It wasn't the same as the first one, it was much easier.  I should have spoken up much sooner.  Report anything suspicious immediately. 

[Meagan]

My surgery was Jan 3rd (just had 6 months) and i had Menigitis (sp?) the next morning after my 13 hour surgery and had many complications...i was in the hospital for 6 weeks-not to scare you.  Report everything...i had cfs leak twice and they put a shunt in to help drain the fluid...i got staph infection from that surgery.  My mom took off work for 3 months to stay with me and we told them about everything...us being very determined help us find the staph and other diseases that could have killed.

Key here is don't be afraid to ask questions, this is your body!!

[TP]

I had my AN surgery on 6.5.06, had to get about 3-4 stiches (without novacane) two weeks later, the stiches didn't help and I was admitted in the hospital on 6.21.06 for CSF leak. That hospital stay was for 6 days and unfortunately I got menigitis in the hospital and was sent home with a pic line in my arm and had to administer antibiotics for 12 days. On 7.4.06 I had to go visit my Dr to get more stiches in my head (without novacane) and unfortunately they didn't help this time so back in the hospital for a lumbar drain on 7.10.06 and by 7.12.06 they needed to do another CSF leak repair. Stayed in the hospital 7 days this time and was sent home on on 7.17.06. By the first week in August I started back to work the first week part-time and the next week working my full schedule and haven't stopped since.

Bottom line I didn't lift anything or do anything that I recall that caused my CSF leak. I think I just had a hard head and it took a few surgeries to sew me up right. Now I think my neck is a little tighter on the left side but that is ok with me...One word of advise, have your mom sleep sitting up for a while, laying down may not be a good idea after the surgery.   

[neal r. lyons]

Hi Claire- The very first person I met the day before my An surgery at St.Vincent's Hospital (House Ear Clinic) was a man by the name of Guillermo .
     He had had Middlle Fossa Surgery and Meningitus was found about 3 weeks later.  He had a 2nd surgery and is still taking very strong antibiotics.  He is still in a waiting mode before it is safe for him to return to his family in Puerto Rico.  It's been about 7 weeks since his initial surgery.  He had , I believe, a rare type of intestinal bacteria.
     I'm waiting to hear from him.  I'll pass on any news.  This Meningitus is very serious business.      Neal