Swelling in the temple area

[Louzilla]

Hi everyone,
I had middle fossa surgery in December and I'm still experiencing swelling in the temple area.  I sent pictures of the area and sent them to my surgeon and he wasn't worried.  It goes up and down but never completely away.  I was hoping someone would know why this continues and if I should be concerned. 

[Battyp]

Sorry I can't really help you on this as I had retro.  I was just wondering if you notice this when you are up right or doing certain activities vs at random.

Michelle

[Louzilla]

Hi Michelle,  It swells more at the end of the day.  I guess I retain more fluid in my body as the day goes on.  It will go down if i work out and sweat.  Kind of weird.  With the middle fossa surgery they take out a small chunk of your scull at the temple, but I never asked if they put it back.  Ha  !  I asked about everything else but that!

[Windsong]

hey Lou, HI,

glad to hear you are doing so well...

good to read your posts too....

I am a bit perplexed though about this  temple area and did you say that they took some bone out of there for some reason? the temple for me is up by the forehead? but the An is like halfway down? before you reach the chin..... maybe i misread something?

is this a new  way of treating Ans? i've never heard of temple bone being taken out so i thought maybe you could tell  us more about that...

i hope you are doing better now ... i know you were really happy about your post surgical recovery and getting on with things....

all the best and many good wishes,
windsong

[Louzilla]

Hi Windsong,
With the middle fossa surgery they go in above the ear and retract the temporal lobe to reach the canal.  They have to take out a small part of the scull to retract the brain.  This gives them a straight shot down to the canal and a better chance of saving hearing.  Pretty wild thinking back on it now.  Very invasive but the up side is that I only had about 20% hearing loss and no facial paralysis.  My temple area on the side of the surgery now pushes out farther then the other. 

Thanks for the kind words.  I really came out of this really well, and besides some balance issues now and then I'm fine. 

[marg]

Hi Louzilla,
     I had a middle fossa surgery on May 14th of this year...... I had hearing after surgery then lost all of it it by the time I had my hearing test 4 weeks after surgery.  Did you loose your hearing right after surgery and get it back later... or did you have it the whole time?  Guess I'm still hoping I will get some of it back.
Thanks,
Margaret

[Louzilla]

Hi Margaret,
I had hearing the whole time.  It seems like it has decreased a little since my last test and the ringing is louder but I can still hear.  Did your doctor have an explanation as to why you had it and lost it?  I'm sorry your dealing with this.  I hope since you had hearing it will come back.   You should ask the forum if anyone has experienced what you're experiencing.  I have found it a good way to get some straight answers.

I would like to know if you still have swelling in the temple area?  I still have a 2" area that is swollen and wondering if that's normal for middle fossa.

Best of luck.  Lou

[marg]

Hi Lou,
    The neurosurgeon said my hearing nerve looked great at surgery and he was very surprised that I had lost my hearing when I saw him 4 weeks later.  He said he didn't know for sure but that the hearing nerve "may have stroked" after surgery.  I did ask the forum if anyone had experienced hearing loss and did it come back... I only had a couple of replies (maybe I should have posted it in a different area of the forum). 
     I do not have swelling in the temple area.  I had a HUGE black eye after surgery (it went 1/2 way down my face) .... but after the black eye went away the swelling did too.  I wouldn't think that you should still have swelling after 6 months.  I would check it out with your doctor.
     Oh, by the way.  I got a copy of my surgical notes and read them.... The bone they took out was put back in and then they put titanium plates and screws in to hold the bone.  You might want to contact where you had your surgery and ask for a copy of your surgical report... it is very interesting.
      I'm glad that you still have your hearing.... and I'm glad they tried the middle fossa approach to try to save my hearing too.  I already had lost some of my hearing even though the AN was only 3-4 mm in size so my hearing nerve was already 'sick".  I think it just gave up.... but I still have hope that it will decide to try again ... after all  "hope springs eternal".
Margaret