Michelle:
Thanks for the link.
I was diagnosed with a 4.5cc AN on May 10th, 2006. I'm having it removed by the very experienced and respected surgeon, Dr. Issac Goodrich, at Saint Raphaels hospital in New Haven, CT via the retrosigmoid approach. The surgery is scheduled for May 24th. I just cleared my pre-op exams (with flying colors) and everything is 'go'. I'll have another MRI the day before surgery but that is just a precaution so there are no 'surprises' when they get into the affected section.
The drawings were helpful for my wife and son to better understand exactly what is going to be done to remove the tumor.
Frankly, I'm one of those folks who just wants to get the basic facts and understand the 'odds' for any possible complications so I know what to expect and can better deal with it. The exact details of the procedure are not terribly important to me as I have full confidence in my surgeon and his team. However, I find that family and friends...who are very supportive...seem to want to know about every aspect of the operation and the article and drawings help provide that for them.
Thanks again.