Metallic Artifacts Left As a Result of Acoustic Neuroma Surgery

[ray1212]

 

My wife was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma of 3 centimeters in early 1999 and had surgery to remove the tumor in June of that year. Subsequent reports from her surgeon were that the MRIs in 2000, 2002, and 2005 were normal. We now know his statements were inaccurate, if not led to a cover up of the specific details. Now we have learned from an MRI in 2008 that Metallic Artifacts were left near the left temporal lobe of her head. By the way, a subsequent CAT scan confirmed that there is a (5 times 1 millimeter) metallic foreign body present, and states that it may be suggestive of a surgical clip. She has steadily deteriorated mentally since the surgery and has severe cognitive issues. I want to hear from anyone who knows of anyone who has had this surgery and metallic foreign bodies have been left behind. Please feel free to contact me at my email address (see icon at left), or feel free to call me anytime 24/7 (send a personal message to get number).

(personal info can't be displayed directly in posts for spam reasons - moderator)

[Sue]

Good Lord!  I'm so sorry about your wife's condition which is likely the result of a medical mistake that is most unfortunate.  That is a horrible consequence of what is supposed to be a life-saving surgery.  I hope you have talked with a lawyer. 

Sue in Vancouver, WA USA

[leapyrtwins]

Ray -

I am so sorry to hear about your wife.  As Sue said, this is a horrible situation.

The only "artifacts" I have in my head from my AN surgery are titanium mesh, titanium screws, and a titanium plate - but they're all supposed to be there; and consequently haven't been an issue for me.

I'm not one to advocate malpractice suits, but in this case it sounds like it may be warranted.

Good luck; please let us know how this progresses.

Jan

[sgerrard]

Ray,

I had to edit out the personal info; members can get the email address from the icon, or use personal messages to contact you and you can give them your phone number.

Besides pursuing legal claims, I wonder if you can find out about getting the clip removed? Is that possible? It seems like better late than never would apply.

Good luck, and as the lawyers would say, I hope you prevail.

Steve

[ray1212]

I would like to thank everyone for their replies to my original post. I found an interesting medical article regarding metallic artifacts left behind following surgery, even if it doesn't apply to acoustic neuroma, it is worth reading.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10658456

http://www.biomedexperts.com/Abstract.bme/10658456/Magnetic_resonance_imaging_artifact_following_acoustic_neurofibroma_surgery--case_report

Magnetic resonance imaging artifact following acoustic neurofibroma surgery--case report.Sridhar K, Ramamurthi R, Vasudevan MC, Ramamurthi B.
Dr. A. Lakshmipathi Neurosurgical Centre, VHS Medical Centre, Madras, India.

Metallic artifacts in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging occur mostly in patients who have received an implant at surgery. Similar artifacts are now increasingly recognized in patients in whom high-speed drills have been used. A 15-year-old male with neurofibromatosis 2 had undergone excision of acoustic neurofibroma on the left 1.5 years prior to the present admission. MR imaging to evaluate the acoustic neurofibroma on the right showed a metallic artifact at the site of the previous surgery. Computed tomography did not show any evidence of metal debris. The artifact was probably caused by metallic dust or debris from a high-speed drill during the first surgery. We suggest that care should be taken to prevent deposition of such debris in the operative field to prevent this complication.

[leapyrtwins]

Ray -

interesting about the metallic dust and debris.  Now that you mention it, I recall that the operative report from either my BAHA implant surgery and/or my AN surgery talks about metallic dust and tells what the surgeon(s) did to keep it out of my surgical site.

I had totally forgotten this since I haven't read either of my operative reports in quite a while.

Jan

[Pooter]

Oy! I'm so very sorry about your wife's condition.  I'm with others, seeking out the advice from a lawyer is advised.  I would also look into the possibility of removing it or if that would cause more harm now than good.

While I don't have specific knowledge of foreign bodies being left behind, I haven't had an MRI done since surgery.  What you describe is one of my main fears that they'll find something left behind.

I feel for you and your wife..  Gosh.

Regards,
Brian

[Jim Scott]

Ray:

Please accept my sympathy for your wife's suffering, apparently brought about by a metal clip that may have been 'left behind' during her AN surgery in 1999.  I assumed that surgical instruments and/or temporary items (such as a surgical clip) used during surgery were carefully accounted for before the incision was closed.  Perhaps my assumption was a tad naive.  I'm surprised the follow-up MRI scans didn't show the metal artifact but if you didn't see them and, as you claim, the doctor gave you inaccurate information, I can understand how that might happen.  This is clearly a case for an attorney specializing in medical malpractice to look into.  I did not have any issues following my surgery so I cannot offer any personal knowledge that might help you. 

I concur with Brian ('Pooter') that it would seem advantageous for your wife's health to consider having the offending artifact surgically removed to help alleviate her distress.  As for the metallic dust issue, my neurosurgeon was aware of it, as well as bone dust, and he employed his assistant (another neurosurgeon he is mentoring) to deal with it, although I'm not certain exactly what method they used because I never asked for my surgery report as I saw no need to do so.  I believe most surgeons performing skull surgery these days use some kind of sticky gauze to absorb the dust around the drill site and also employ suction to keep the operating area clean.   Because your wife underwent her AN surgery a decade ago, this may not have been the standard procedure, then.  I have no idea.  This is why you need to consult an attorney with experience in this aspect of medical malpractice thresholds.  I wish you well as you pursue a remedy for this unhappy situation. 

Jim 

[wendysig]

Ray,
I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's problems -- seeing an attorney doesseem advisable.  Have you looked into the possibility of having the clip removed to avoid having it do even more damage?  Good luck and best wishes to both of you.

Wendy

[cheza]

Ray,

As those before me, I to am sorry to hear of your situation and empathies with your wife, Knowing now that all this time there has been something there that shouldn't be must be hard to come to terms with.

Many of the post on here have mentioned trying to get the clip removed, if this is possible I  think it would be the best way forward, although I can imagine that your wife does not want to have to go through more surgery, having an AN removed is hard enough without having to go through the same kind of surgery again and of course the most worrying thing of all would be, can you ever trust the surgeons again.

I fear that you and your wife are going to have some difficult decisions to make in the not so distant future and I wish you all the luck in the world, I'm afraid my knowledge on this type of thing is, well, none existent really, but we on this forum are always here to offer support.
Please keep us up to date with whatever you decide to do.

Best wishes Cheryl XxX 

[ray1212]

  Hello Forum Members,

Thank you for all the support which has been shown in the previous posts. It looks our attorney is going to file suit in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the surgery was performed. Please keep my wife Emily in your prayers, because her cognative skills have severely decreased over the last seven years and she is suffering from a severe mental illness of somekind, which may be related to the surgery and/or metal being left behind. We live just a few Myles from there in Northern Kentucky.

[wendysig]

Ray,

I hope you nad your lawyers are successful in your suit.  In my experience, most doctors are people of integrity and dedicated healers.  It is a shame this happened to your wife and her doc tried to cover it up.  I hope he receives a punishment commenserate with this action and that you are compensated well monetarily to help care for your wife comfortably.  I'm sure this has taken a toll on both of you.   You are both in my prayers.

Wendy