[Duffy]

Hi Folks,

I wanted to share my experience after having been diagnosed with spinal cord herniation resulting in a Brown-Sequard Syndrom ( I had neurological symptoms for 2 1/2 years before the cord herniation was diagnosed). This is a rare medical condition with only approx. 100 cases published worldwide so when I was told that I would have to undergo surgery at the spinal cord I was very nervous. There is very little medical literature on the net and virtually no patient feedback/experience.
I was lucky to have found really experienced neurosurgeons who have operated on many patients with spinal cord tumors so they know how to access the site and how to close the defect in the dura. After surgery I was allowed to get out of bed after two days, out of the hospital after 10 days and after two week rehabilitation allowed to go home. I was closley monitored with weekly MIR scans to make sure that no CSF was leaking out of the dura at the operative site. Now at 5 1/2 weeks after surgery I am allowed to take up sports and horse back riding again. So all in all a very quick recovery
The Neurological deficits in the legs have started to improve slowly. Only time will tell whether it will return to normal but this is not so important to me.

I was told that surgery had to de done because of a relatively high risk of paralysis. The actual defect in the dura was very large, 1,5cm, so the surgeon afterwards called it a "ticking time bomb".
I am happy to be home in time for Christmas and hope to be able to help
other patients with the same diagnosis out there: to know that, even though its a frigthening diagnosis, if all goes well its not too bad