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My Mother S Health Has Deteriorated Sharply After Undoing Surgery
Question: My mother's health has deteriorated sharply after undoing surgery for hydrocephalus. She is unable to walk or sit now and also developed bedsores because of this. She looks semi conscious, doesn't respond well. We have seen major downfall in her health in the past 1.5 years. Doctors are not able to tell us the exact reason. We get to hear that lot of complications are involved but do not get a clear answer. Can you please advice me.
Brief Answer:
Need more details...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I went through the details provided and I empathize with your mother's situation. It is not uncommon to have hydrocephalus in patients with CP angle SOL. The obstruction to the CSF flow leads to hydrocephalus. Obstructive hydrocephalus and the pressure built up are known to cause altered consciousness. But ventriculostomy is created to bypass obstruction thereby relieve pressure and reduce hydrocephalus. As the pressure reduces consciousness should improve. If that didn't happen, it probably means the pressure is still not relieved or there may be an infection setting in (intracranial or systemic). These along with metabolic and systemic functions need to be checked.
I might not be able to narrow down to a possibility or possibilities sitting at one of a computer without access to clinical records and physical examination. The details you uploaded are insufficient too. Do you have test results of subsequent days? Scan reports?
If you have no proper answers from the current doctors, you may consider taking a second opinion from other neurologists after you have all the reports.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Need more details...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I went through the details provided and I empathize with your mother's situation. It is not uncommon to have hydrocephalus in patients with CP angle SOL. The obstruction to the CSF flow leads to hydrocephalus. Obstructive hydrocephalus and the pressure built up are known to cause altered consciousness. But ventriculostomy is created to bypass obstruction thereby relieve pressure and reduce hydrocephalus. As the pressure reduces consciousness should improve. If that didn't happen, it probably means the pressure is still not relieved or there may be an infection setting in (intracranial or systemic). These along with metabolic and systemic functions need to be checked.
I might not be able to narrow down to a possibility or possibilities sitting at one of a computer without access to clinical records and physical examination. The details you uploaded are insufficient too. Do you have test results of subsequent days? Scan reports?
If you have no proper answers from the current doctors, you may consider taking a second opinion from other neurologists after you have all the reports.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello Doctor, thanks for your guidance. I took second opinion from a neurosurgeon in XXXXXXX and on his suggestion we will be getting her CT Scan done tomorrow. He has asked us to show her in XXXXXXX XXXXXXX I have heard that best treatment is given there but then its not that easy to get an appointment. Not sure what to do.
Also, can you please let me know the reports you are expecting to see?
She did not undergo any tests post her surgery. We were relying on the doctor who operated her to tell us as to when subsequent tests are required.
Also, can you please let me know the reports you are expecting to see?
She did not undergo any tests post her surgery. We were relying on the doctor who operated her to tell us as to when subsequent tests are required.
Brief Answer:
Brain scan is important...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
The priority is to check the status of hydrocephalus. The CT or MRI of brain post surgery is important. Let me know the results of the tests after the scan tomorrow.
Besides the scan, we need to check complete hemogram, Serum electrolytes, liver function, renal function and so on. The tests necessary and it's interpretation is based on clinical assessment. So let me know the opinion of the second neurosurgeon. It might also be worthwhile to consult a neurologist in this case along with a neurosurgeon.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Brain scan is important...
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
The priority is to check the status of hydrocephalus. The CT or MRI of brain post surgery is important. Let me know the results of the tests after the scan tomorrow.
Besides the scan, we need to check complete hemogram, Serum electrolytes, liver function, renal function and so on. The tests necessary and it's interpretation is based on clinical assessment. So let me know the opinion of the second neurosurgeon. It might also be worthwhile to consult a neurologist in this case along with a neurosurgeon.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need clarifications.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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