Regrowth - Second Surgery Concerns & Questions

[Dantheman]

I'm curious how many people had regrowth after translab surgery. It appears to me that the majority of the folks with regrowth that have chimed in have had middle fossa or retrosigmoid.

Dan

[Jwh]

Dan -

From what I understand, when the doc's perform the Retro there is a blind spot!!  I wish I knew that before the surgery!!  Now I have to have the Translab anyway...... 

Kathleen -

If I understand correctly, you will not have another MRI?  I also hope this surgery will get that darn thing out!!  I can't even believe I'm going to have to have another surgery.  It doesn't seem fair.

Jen

[Kathleen_Mc]

Jen: I have made the decision I will never have another MRI to "check" on that AN site....if there comes a time I need one for another reason I will have it but tell the radiologist and the ordering doctor I do not want to know if there is a regrowth of that tumor (also that I am only to be told the results if they find something else that requires immediate medical attention). Now of cource I say that knowing one never knows until in the situation.......after my first resection I said I would never have surgery again but that was before I had children to live for.....back then I had always said if I grew another tumor I would let it kill me before I went into surgery again.
Kathleen

[MLB57]

Hi Jen--I had a 1 cm rt AN removed Retrosigmoid Jan 2001--OR report said totally removed but subsequent MRIs have shown re-growth and consensus of specialists is that residual tumor WAS left. Anyway It's now around 1 cm again and Dr Barker at Mass General (Boston, MA) told me 10% chance of further damaging my weakened facial nerve if he did surgery. (I have decided to have radiation). My concern for you is that I hope you know the stas regarding this--you need to know--you certainly don't want to further damage your facial nerve!! In my case the tumor was "densely adhered" to my facial nerve so your case may be totally different.. Just please ask so you will know!!

Regards and best wishes for the best outcome!!!  Mary from MA

[jimmy r]

I had a translab surgery done 20 years ago by Dr House and Hitselberger. The tumor was 3cm and is now 2.8cm. I was told i was the 10th out of 5 or 6000 oprations at HEI. I was scheduled for surgery
on 4/10 by Dr Brackmann at HEI but my insurance company revoked my authorization for HEI at the 11th hour. My plan was to do conservative surgery, possibly leaving part of the tumor so as not to damage the facial nerves. I wish I had known 10 years ago about the possibility of a recurence as I think that Gamma Knife radiation is a strong option to be considered for smaller tumors.