How long does it ususally take to get surgery scheduled after diagnosis?

[dizzyinca]

Just curious how long it has taken for others to have a surgery date scheduled once an acoustic neuroma (that is symptomatic) is diagnosed? 

THANKS FOR ALL OF THE ADVICE!  Finally got a surgery date 11/12/08....was diagnosed in August...  Just took a few opinions, all of your discussions led me to a great team!

[leapyrtwins]

I was diagnosed in mid-April and had my surgery on May 31st.

In my case the two doctors involved (neurotologist and neurosurgeon) had to coordinate their schedules, or I may have been able to schedule it even earlier.

Jan

[Jim Scott]

Dizzyinca:

Hello and welcome.  I want to respond to your question but I'm afraid there is no absolute answer. 

The variables that can affect the time between diagnosis and surgery can include the size and location of the tumor, availability of a surgical team, availability of an OR at a specific facility where the team has privileges, the patient's health prior to surgery, just to name a few.

I was diagnosed in mid-May, 2006 and my original surgery date was scheduled for June 1st.  The neurosurgeon didn't ask me, he told me that the AN had to be addressed ASAP - and he set the date.  Due to a pre-op complication, my actual surgery date was postponed, but only for a few days.  However, my AN was large and pressing hard on my brain stem, which alarmed the neurosurgeon and rendered me amenable to his insistence on a very short wait for my surgery.  This didn't allow much time for working up a lot of angst and, fortunately, the surgery and radiation were successful (see my signature).

I wish you the same success. 

Jim

[HeadCase2]

dizzyinca,
  It's not unusual for microsurgery to be scheduled a month or two after diagnosis. sooner if the AN is large enough to be an imediate risk if untreated.  The Skull Base Surgery teams have several players who have busy schedules and high demand for their services, so it can sometimes take while to get on everyone's schedule for the same time period. 
  My Skull Base surgery team had two neurosurgeons, a neurotologist surgeon, a tech to monitor facial nerve function, plus the normal team members needed for any surgery.  I was diagnosed in mid November, and didn't have surgery till early February.  And I was bumbed one extra week when an emergency case required imediate surgery.  I was actually glad to have the extra time to let the whole idea of having to have brain surgery to sink in for a while.
  Let us know if this is not the type of information you where looking for.
Regards,
  Rob

[LADavid]

Hey Dizzy
I was diagnosed in the beginning of September and had surgery in the beginning of December a year ago.  But the size of my tumor wasn't big enough at that point to be an issue so there was no real rush.  I didn't have any problem scheduling it at House either.  The time was available when I wanted it.

There is a member on the Forum, Marci, who I believe went from diagnosis to surgery in 2 or 3 weeks.  Pretty fast from what I remember.

David

[TP]

I was diagnosed middle of May and he wanted to do the surgery within the month due to size and location of my tumor. I took a weeks vacation and rested, the next week worked and got my "will" completed. I went into surgery very calm, I didn't have a lot of time to get worked up.

[MAlegant]

Hi there,
I set a land/speed record from diagnosis to surgery--two weeks!  I think it was the desperation in my eyes and also the fact that I asked them to just remove it in the office with maybe a little novocain.  That's when I discovered that neurosurgeons don't usually have a sense of humor.  Seriously though, they recommended that I have the surgery as soon as possible but allowed for several weeks if I wanted to wait.  Depending on the size (mine was medium to large) a person can watch and wait for a long time.  Personally I was having problems eating, sleeping and working so I needed to get it done with.  I was not really having any symptoms from the tumor, just anxiety from knowledge of said tumor.

As all of us here can attest, you will write your own story, and we will want to hear all of it.
Best,
Marci

[Kaybo]

I gotcha beat Marci, but i really didn't have any choice!    I had an MRI on Monday, the Dr. called me at school on Tuesday, we were in Houston on Wednesday and my surgery was scheduled for the following Thursday!!  However, I woke up with strep throat the Friday of that first week and even though the nursey told me on the phone that day that it would all be fine to go ahead, when I went for pre-op on Monday, the Dr. postponed it until the following Tues.  So I guess it was exactly 2 weeks from diagnosis to surgery, but it was actually supposed to be a week & 2 days!!  My brainstem was completely displaced & was over to the left side of my head because of the size of the tumor...I'm glad they found it when they did!!   

K

[Charlotte Lady]

It's hard to say what's normal.  I went to two doctors who had a special interest in the treatment ANs.  I got my diagnosis and two days later I saw the EENT (only because of a cancelation).  I had to wait for a month to see the neurosurgeon.  After that it was another month before both of their schedules matched.   
So about two months, but that's only because of that one cancellation for the EENT. 

Donna from Charlotte