Spinal AVM at C-3 thru 5

[tina]

Hi, I am a 51 year old female getting ready for an embolization and resection of my AVM in two weeks. I am to be operated on by the famous Dr. Spetzler and am hoping for recovery. My symptons have escalated rapidly since the diagnosis of an intramedullary AVM in my neck. I have the numbness in my left hand and arm as well as profound weakness in my left leg. I currently wear an FES device to facilitate walking. I get very tired, however, still do not take medication. I am looking for for support and am willing to answer any questions.

[tina]

26 days after 100 percent successful removal of AVM. Dr. Spetzler is amazing. Waiting on reduction in swelling of spinal cord to regain total movement and in spetzler rehab. can take 6 weeks

will keep you posted

[tina]

It is now Feb, 2011 and way overdue for an update. I was out of the wheelchair and walking in a walker Oct of 2010 after Aug surgery. By Nov/ Thanksgiving, I was walking with a cane. The left arm was still weak and hanging. By the end of Jan 2011, I could almost use both hands - then I broke my left arm in a freak accident.

I have numbness in right leg and in the bottoms of both feet. Before broken arm, I was walking w/o a cane in the house and on a treadmill 20 minutes a day.

I have way more energy and ability to walk since surgery. Dr. Spetzler, Barrow Neurology in Phoenix AZ is the man to go too!

[tina]

After much research, I have learned that I suffered a spinal stroke during surgery. When you have a type 2 Intramedullary Spinal AVM, any attempt to embolize or resect cuts off the blood supply in the Spinal cord. Dr. Spetzler does not operate on any AVM larger than 6 centimeters and mine was 4.9. This is because of the Neurological deficit that occurs afterwards and over 6 centimeters causes too much deficit.

My Spinal stroke caused a complete loss of communication from my brain to my left side. The Body cleans out all the signals, neurons whatever and rebuilds it. This is why after 6 weeks, I was starting to feel down to my left ankle when I left rehab. My left arm- was affected by the bulging AVM which stretched out my C-6 and C-5 spinal nerve roots. This affected my median nerve which is slowly regenerating.

Neurological deficit can last 1 to 2 to 5 years. What I do not understand is why my Spinal, lumbar and sciatic nerves are so inflamed causing me difficulty in walking. This is very gradually calming down, but, can't happen fast enough. I have recovered from a broken left arm and left foot. No pain still.......weird.........