Thursday, May 30, 2013

Left Frontotemporal Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy

So my next surgery is June 4.  Half the vision in my left eye is gone, which apparently is being caused by three remaining tumors sitting on top of the left optic nerve.



Above is a picture of the two bone flaps that the two surgeons will remove after they make an incision from just the right of my midline at my hairline to the middle of my left ear and pull down my face (my face!!!).  I'm really curious how the surgeons work around my eye to cut the bone behind it.  Then the surgeons will try to resect (i.e., cut into) as little of my brain as possible to get to the tumors on my optic nerve and the part of one that is extended up into my left ventricle.

Here's a paper co-written by Dr. Spetzler from Barrow (my surgeons are Dr. White and Dr. Little).  Every time I read it, I have a little freak out, but each time my freak out is a little less (or maybe not).

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/documents/singerlab/files/Zabramski%20et%20a.pdf

I've been told that the likelihood of getting all of my tumors is slim and that the goal is get create separation between the optic nerve and any remaining tumors so that I can have radiation (i.e., CyberKnife) in September.