titanium plate & screws

[kristin]

ok, hi again. i had middle fossa in april and my incision is totally healed, except the area where the plate is. it's kinda caved in and i can feel a few of the screws. is this normal? should i be worried?

[jan pentecost]

Kristen,
I had the translabryinth approach and really haven't any knowledge of the middle foss approach...what is that and why a titanium plate?
Thanks,
jan

[kristin]

my middle fossa incision looks like a question mark above my left ear. the titanium plate and screws are what the docs used to reposition and secure the bone flap. according to the doc notes i have three titanium plates and six titanium screws.

[rntiggergirl]

Hi
I also had a middle fossa in 12/03.  It is slightly indented in areas and I can feel the wiring that connects bone to bone. I do not have any titanium plates, just the bone replaced. My doctor has looked at the site and has never said there was anything wrong with it, so I have assumed that it is normal. 

Cheryl

[russ]

Kristin
  Interesting...  I've never heard of plates and screws being utilized in middle fossa. Was yours a modified approach?
  I guess the person to contact is your ENT or NS.
  Take care!!
  Russ

[kristin]

hi again. just to let you all know i contacted my local neurosurgeon about this and he said it's perfectly normal.

russ, i have no idea if this is a modified technique. i've talked to other pts who had middle fossa at House and they have also said they have the titanium plates and screws. i assumed this was a normal technique for closing the skull.

off topic, but i must admit that i find the doctors notes from my surgery very interesting reading. if you've had surgery, you can have House send your records to you local doctor for free. (and if you're lucky or have a really nice doctor, you can get the records from them for free). it's amazing what they did and i find myself forgetting that i'm reading about me!

have a great day! it's so awesome here in montana these days..high 70's to mid 80's and not a cloud in the sky! gorgeous! 

[wanderer]

I recently spoke to someone at house and was told they use a titatnium plate to hold fat grafts in place for translab.   So they may also do it for mid fossa

[Kim]

I, too, have screws and plate--a very large plate.  Wierd thing with my skull:  during surgery they discovered my skull in the area to be the consistency of several layers of wet newspaper.  No cutting or drilling required; just peeling!! They wound up putting a very large plate there to ensure solid covering out to where the "good" bone was.  Just think, if I hadn't discovered this tumor or had surgery, and I had fallen or been struck or something on that side of my head....!

Anybody every heard of this?

[russ]

Hi
  I believe the plate and screws are standard in the subocciptital to fasten the mastoid back to the cranium, but still never heard of such in Middle Fossa surgery. Back to the reading room, I guess. Glad all is normal for you, Kristin!
  Russ