Neurosurgery Outpatient Visit 2

Revisit to the clinic to get the results of the CT Angiogram and set up a surgery date

The CT Angiogram was OK and surgery date set for 25th January

Neurosurgery Outpatient Visit

Meeting with my consultant to discuss the outcome of the MRI and their proposed treatment

The Chordoma Tumour at the level of C1 just beneath the occipital condyle

They want to do more surgery. Its a bit more difficult this time as they are going in the same area
I have to have a CT angiogram as they need to check the blood flow to my brain as they may need to occlude (cut) one of the veritable artery during the surgery and they need know I have good blood flow as I could suffer a stroke if there is a lack of blood flow

They may have to do surgery around the space of the spinal chord which may need to be patched up I then could get pseudomeningocele


C1 is the top bone of the spine

Oncology Clinic - Results day - Not Good

Since my last MRI there has been a definite increase in size of the "blob" that has been seen on previous MRI scans

That means that this "blob" is Chordoma and not water as they (and I) had hoped

They have booked me in a week from now to see the surgeon in the skull base clinic

There proposal is resection of the cancer if possible and if not fully possible to move is as far away from the brain stem as possible

This will give an apparent clinical advantage when they carry out more radiation

This radiation is likely to be normal radiation rather than proton as
1. They don't believe I will get funding
2. If I did get funding the proton centre may not want to do further radiation

We will cross that bridge after successful surgery