See the rude intruder! AN photo close-up, after it was excised

[Boppie]

Thanks, Jason, for posting it.  This tumor comes to us via Teela who posts here once in a while.  Her Translab surgery was in the middle of February.  The tumor is not large, under 2cm, although it looks big under the lens.  The surgery went well and Teela is at home.  She emailed her tumor picture and said I could post it if the image might help somebody visualize the enemy that we pursue.

[GM]

I can't get the link to display it...can you include the picture in your post??

[matti]

I can't get it to display either and I want to see the nasty little critter.

[stein78]

Email it to me, I can post the picture for you. 

[thecakes]

   That is a nasty little critter.  Its wonderful, what a normal head can go through and then turn out OK.

[stein78]

Here it is. 

[ppearl214]

ew!  I'm not sure looking at that pic went well with my morning coffee!  But, have to admit, rather unique in color......

[becknell]

No offense, but how disgusting! How did you get the photo? I thought they sucked out the inside of an AN first when they take it out so it comes out in pieces. I didn't think they removed them whole.   

[antoinette]

Removing an AN w. hole.. That is the first thing I heard when they diagnosed the thing  in my ear for sure
The GP told me that some ANs, perhaps newly grown, are coming out in one piece. They can be lifted, like a scab, and nothing remains behind. So this method should always be tried first. But most ANs require more work and some are right down "sticky". to the point that some must be left behind.
Why? This one is another question a good stastitic research could answer. But stats are mostly used to prove or disprove points, to influence public opinions, not yet for true knowledge.
ant

[Boppie]

This is Teela's tumor 14mm X 5mm  6mm.  Photo is a high resolution close-up. See reply #5 on February 28.

I think the photo shows a tumor that "slid" off the nerves, unlike mine that had to be picked off a mm at a time.  My surgeon had a real fight with it.  My tumor was called "sticky". 

A question for the experts:  What is the little pedicule shape on top about?

In the video of a suboccipital tumor resection the narrator described the tumor as being "easily seen by its light grey color".  He was describing an intact attached tumor.  The AN in this still photo obviously shows darker and probably shows how dead gone it is, now!

[ppearl214]

I think my stomach is still turning in knots even though I gave my coffee time to re-settle.... heck, I faint when I stub my toe!

[stein78]

What size is that sucker? 

[matti]

Yuck, but also fascinating and intriging all at the same time!!!! I would also love to know what size it is.

While at a social event recently, I was introduced to a fellow AN'er and he told me that as soon as the surgeons opened him up, his tumor popped right out, fully intact. Lucky!!!

Thanks Boppie and Stein for posting the picture.

matti

[Kathyaquino]

I wanted to see my tumor when they removed it, but I forgot to ask the doctor.  Although my tumor was supposedly only 13 mm the pathology report listed the removed tumor as being 17mm & after an MRI at six months I found out that 6mm was still left.  Go figure.  Anyway, it is rather ugly, but interesting to see what it looks like.  My tumor was very sticky (according to my doctor) so mine was probably taken out piece by piece.  I'm having the same tumor removed again in April.  It's now 15 mm.  I wonder if I ask if the doctors will let me see it.  I can think of a lot of things I'd like to do with it after all the trouble it's caused me for the past 9 years.  Anyway, thanks for showing us what the tumor looks like.

Kathy

[Boppie]

I posted the photo with a little help of a friend.  It is Teela's tumor. Photo is a high resolution close-up. See reply #5 on February 28.
It was 14mm x 6mm x 5 mm in January. 

What size is that sucker?