feelbad

You are lucky in the fact that this is actually located on the outside of the cord,mine was on the inside.I also still have the ten percent inside that they could not get to.Are you talking about a cavernous hemangioma?they have many names such as the one you gave,and also angiomas,hemangiomas.Just a few.I had to have mine removed a couple of years ago as mine was bleeding off and on.Has your bled at all.It woul;d not actually say bleed on your MRI report, it would say something like hemosiderin staining or halo?Since mine was actually inside the cord i knew that I would have definite damage but my NS just couldn't tell me how bad or what exactly would be affected.But I did not have much choice in the surgery as if it bled again(most will bleed more than once if it bleeds at all)i would be most definitely paralyzed from the chest down.Soo, what do ya do?but like I said before, the fact that yours is not inside the cord or the brain or the pons(these are the three most likely places they form)makes for a good outcome for you, really.the best advice I could give you would be to do your research and really try and understand everything about what you are dealing with and the possible treatments availiable.this helps ALOT when discussing things with your NS.Also, start a list of questions that you want to know the answers to for your next appt with your NS.I kept a notebook and a pen out on the counter at all times as I would think of good questions at really strange times and if i did not write them down right away, I would forget them.But really, the best advice is really just to educate yourself about your condition completely from all angles.i would think that you would most likely have a really geat outcome with surgery.It all depends on just exactly what structures are being affected now and during the surgery.That varies with each case so there is no way to say just exactly what might possibly happen.just ask your doc straight out"is this in a favorable spot for surgery"? i was told no, but had to have it anyway.i ended up in the hospital ICU for the first four days(flat on my back) and then two full weeks there in the regular area,and then had to go to a rehab hospital to try and regain the use of my L leg and hand.My leg is doing great but my l hand suffered permanent injury.I keep telling myself though that I really was pretty lucky considering what could have happened.at least I can still walk.Unfortunetly I ended up with two very severe pain syndromes caused by all of my nerve damage and a damaged sympathetic nervous system.But this was actually inside damage not outside.Your chances of that would be very slim considering the actual location of your angioma.I also went to our local university hospital for my last and third opinion before i consented for surgery.i liked the fact that my NS was the head of the neurosurgery program there and had LOTS of experience with many types of spinal cord surgeries.A teaching hosp is also more up on all of the latest treatments and surgery techniques.i felt I was in the best hands possible and thats what you need to feel before consenting to have anyone open you up.Believe me, having that little bit of peace of mind when dealing with a surgery like I was looking at made all the difference in the world.i wish you lots of luck and if you have any other questions just holler.Marcia

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3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.