I had my "keyhole" MVD at Duke Raleigh Hospital yesterday performed by Dr. Takanori Fukushima. I am ecstacic to report I woke up completely pain free! No numbess, no hearing loss, no blurred vision. I will not lie. The first 6 hours after surgery I felt somewhat like an 18 wheeler had run over my head. Mostly, I think the stiff neck from being immobilized for 4 hours gave me the most pain. It is much better today and I am up and I moved from ICU to a regular room around lunch time. I have felt no nerve pain at all since surgery. Dr. Fukashima said I had two compressions. One was a fairly large vein laying on the nerve. The other was an artery looped around it. Both were at points which would explain the fact that I only had pain under my teeth. Because of the technique Dr. Fukashima has pioneered and perfected I have only a two inch incision. No staples and the stitches will desolve. My recovery time should be about 10 days. Amazing and miraculous after the last four years I have endured. I would encourage anyone who has T1 pain and is willing to travel to Raleigh, NC to research Dr. Fukushima. He is known world wide in neurosurgery. Most of the nurses/staff I've had have told me how many people travel from all over to have him do their brain surgeries for various problems. It is only the day after surgery I realize, but Dr. Fukushima felt there was a 95% chance for me that this was a lifetime fix. So, today I am feeling hopeful and grateful to be looking at a life without TN. Happy to answer any questions.
So happy for you! Congratulations! I will pray that you remain pain free!
I have one question, did your vessels show on your MRI? Did you have to have more than one MRI, or that special FIESTA (hope I got that right) MRI, because nothing is showing on mine, but I've only had one.
Wishing you a speedy, complication free recovery!
My neurologist said the MRI looked normal. To be honest I think all he did was read the radiologist report and didn't even look at it himself. Dr. Fukushima and another neurosurgeon I got an opion from thought they saw compression. Although, Dr. Fukushima said MRI is not usually acurate in diagnosing TN. Many times there are compressions that don't show. Dr. Fukashima's partner also told my husband that if I had gone ahead with the standard MVD procedure the arterial loop probably wouldn't have been found. The angle and technique that Dr. Fukushima uses to move things around is conducive to finding hidden or hard to see compressions.
My MRI was done with contrast dye. I'm not sure if it was FIESTA. I only had the one MRI about a year and a half ago.
Thank you, you've given me some hope. I would definately consider Dr. Fukashima if I need surgery.
Get well soon!
This is such fantastic news, well done you and well done Dr Fukushima!! So happy for you!