No, I don't have the truths about craniotomies. I just need to get honest information no matter how bad.

I am scheduled for a craniotomy to repair a CSF (Cerebral Spinal Fluid) leak in the sinus. It's in such a place that they cannot get to it endoscopically via the sinus. The hole is 8mm and some brain tissue is pressing in to the hole.

My Doc said I need a craniotomy with a bone flap and he said he will insert a lumbar drain. He said 2 days in ICU and 2 days in a regular room and then home.

I have Multiple Sclerosis and a shot immune system. Please be honest and tell me the good, bad and ugly of this procedure. What can I do to help myself.

I don't know much about this at all and I'm really scared.

Thanks

Hi my name is dawn and im 27yrs. old. I had a craiotomy in march of this year,though mine was to remove a lesion on the cranium, they removed about one third of my skull to take out this lesion. It was 6.9cm pretty large. It is now been replaced with tianium mesh. The surgery went wonderful. As good as good as it could be. I had alot of fluid in that spot and was off work for about 2 months. I was in some pain but it goes away after time. I have some side effects. I now have a seizure disorder and cronic headaches. But considering what could have gone wrong Im doing OK. One major problem I have is the mental torture I go through still to this day. Do you Have this problem too? Having any major health problems and surgery can put a real damper on life as we know it. If I can give you any advise it would be to talk to your doctor about what kind of neorophychological effects this may have. No one ever explained what kind of nueropsycological consequences there would be. I am now on disability because of my seizures and anxiety that I have, sorry to say I dont function the way I used to. If I can be of anymore help just write me. Take care and Im sure everything will come out fine.