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Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 12:21 pm
by Donnchadh
Have encouraging improvements to pass on. The new two post-op symptoms listed earlier [the bitter taste and weak, painful back and arm movements] have largely disappeared.

Donnchadh

Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:37 pm
by blossom
this is great news. so happy for you that you are seeing improvements. thank you for shareing.

Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:48 am
by Donnchadh
Donnchadh wrote:Have encouraging improvements to pass on. The new two post-op symptoms listed earlier [the bitter taste and weak, painful back and arm movements] have largely disappeared.

Donnchadh
My chiropractor suggested a possible explanation for these post-op symptoms, and I think his analysis is correct. After the first neck procedure, I stayed in the ICU for three nights. There was a drain installed to draw off fluids from the C1 vertebrae, but I was released with only one overnight stay the second time for the left hand operation. When I left the first time, there was minimal swelling in my neck but on the second procedure there was noticeable neck swelling when I left for home.

The chiropractor thought that this swelling compressed some nerves effecting my taste, and as this swelling reduced [retained fluids were slowly absorbed], the pressure was released.

With the swelling gone, my sense of taste has returned to normal so I don't think any nerves were cut during the procedures.

Donnchadh

Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:04 pm
by Donnchadh
deleted see following post

[the original image is a bit clearer; but it's in a .dicom computer format and I had to convert it to .jpg in order to upload it]

[this is a CT scan with contrast; nearly as good as a MRI without the lengthy tube time. And its much cheaper and only takes about ten minutes to do.]

Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:09 pm
by Donnchadh
Image

Re: atlas compression of IJV

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:17 pm
by Donnchadh
The above post shows where the stenosis in the distal internal jugular vein is located...its pointed out by the arrow. The vein is severely stenosis. The white narrow extension in the upper left is the styloid process; a bone emanating from the base of the skull. The grouping of white spots in the middle is the C1 atlas vertebrae. This image is as you were looking straight towards me from the front. The neurosurgeon had to remove quite a bit from the right "wing" of the C1 to allow room for the IJV, vagus nerve, and carotid artery.

Looking down at the C5 - C6 level you can see the "cage" used to fuse these bones. The disc was herniated between these two vertebrae, and was pressing against the spinal cord and especially against the left nerve root. After their fusion, my sense of balance was much improved. There also used to be bilateral stenosis in the IJV at this level ["waist"] but they were successfully ballooned and appear normal now. My upper body and arm strength improved after this venoplasty.

Donnchadh