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Old 02-18-2019, 04:58 PM #1
HealingMiracleM HealingMiracleM is offline
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HealingMiracleM HealingMiracleM is offline
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Default C2 Vertebrae Fracture due to Metastatic Breast Cancer - Advice needed and welcomed

My challenging situation is a fracture in the c2 vertebrae due to metastatic breast cancer (as of now confined only to bones and completely untreated - also unbiopsied). I am out of hospital for approximately 2 weeks (was in for almost four weeks and was discharged against my wishes for unfortunate reasons not worth explaining here but suffice it to say I did wish to be treated). I am at home with a cervical collar (hard) and walker. I have no limp weakness or other compromising neuro side effects, although do have pain and am on painkillers. Pain and my strength are both improved signficantly.
My understanding is that my situation is quite tenuous and urgent due to the fact that the spinal cord is being pressed and the c2 is inflitrated by cancer - and all from the neck down is contingent on this vertebrae. So I've been advised to act as quickly as possible with surgery.
The surgery being recommended by 99.999 percent of the neurosurgeons with whom I've been able to speak has been a full occipital cervical fusion. Unfortunately, this leaves me almost unable to move my head. I found two surgeons (one in Calif which is not that doable for me - Dr. Mike Chen at City of Hope - and one in NYC - Dr. Chris Mandigo at Columbia) who would consider to do a c1-c3 fusion which Mike Chen says would be the difference of 40% more head mobility but Dr. Mandigo says would not be that significant if done. Both also say full cervical is still a better and safer choice, yet both seem willing to try the more risky one if I wish.
For various reasons, I am not sure if Mandigo would be my choice, so I am seeking still another surgeon in the NYC area who might be willing to do the "more risky" c1-c3 posterior fusion option (Mandigo says he would also do some wiring - also he said he'd use two screws, where Chen mentioned possibly using four). I am still considering Mandigo. I'm also though concerned that I should only be considering the full cervical fusion....and I realize I do not have lots of time to get to action on this.
It would mean the world to me if anyone could offer any words of wisdom concerning my situation and choice on this matter. There is probably so much I do not yet know or understand.
Has anyone had a full occipital cervical fusion or the posterior c1 to c3 fusion that I mention - anyone with cancer?
I am convinced I will be in that small percent of decades long metastatic cancer survivors - I have no doubt in fact - so I am planning for a long future - therefore my quality of life is paramount. By the way, I am 51 years old.
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Old 02-18-2019, 10:20 PM #2
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kiwi33 kiwi33 is offline
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kiwi33 kiwi33 is offline
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Hi HealingMiracleM

Welcome to NeuroTalk .

I am very sorry to read about your health problems.

I hope that the health professionals will do all that they can to support you.

With care.
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Last edited by kiwi33; 02-18-2019 at 11:38 PM. Reason: Grammar
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