Blood-filled cyst T2-T3 - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

NAHNEE · 04-11-2005, 10:48 AM

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and am glad I found you. I have a spinal cord injury due to a blood-filled cyst that popped up at the T2-T3 level from the facet joint. Other than having severe osteoarthritis of the spine the dr. has no idea what caused it. It compressed the spinal cord and caused problems with my legs, hips, and abdomen. After an 8 hour surgery to remove it I became paralyzed from just below the diaphragm down to my feet. I was like that for a week and after some steroid injections to reduce the inflammation I began to get sensation and movement back. I had a long road to learn to walk again, but I am now able to walk short distances without a cane or other aide. At this time I drive with hand controls (hand brake and throttle) because I can't drive with my feet anymore. Thankfully I can walk to and from the van and don't require a wheelchair or scooter to get around except when I shop or go to the zoo, etc..

Has anyone here ever heard of such a spinal cord injury, or am I a freak?

LOL

NAHNEE · 04-12-2005, 11:00 PM

Since the above injury, I now have numbness of the abdomen, hips, thighs and legs. If I walk for maybe 2 minutes, walk while carrying something, go up the stairs or stand for over a minute, my legs start to get very numb and shut down on me. I end up "bobbling" around and people get scared because they think I will fall. For the most part I am able to bring my body to a centered point to stablize my balance. Also, I get muscle spasms in my thighs, especially in the back. This is usually a sign that I must sit immediately. The surgical site between my shoulder blades from the spinal cord injury is also very tender and my shoulders and upper back fatigue very easily. In addition to the spinal cord injury (2003) I also had a spinal fusion (2002) in the lumbar area for herniated disks, and spinal stenosis. I had two laminectomies also in 1979. As you can see I am an old pro at coping with pain and dealing with depression, etc...
I guess no one was interested in writing to me. I was hoping to find someone to write back and forth with on this site and to share "war" stories.

NAHNEE · 04-14-2005, 11:44 PM

Is anyone going to chat with me? I am sorry, but it would be nice to get a response from someone. Thanks

feelbad · 04-20-2005, 05:23 AM

Sorry no one responded to you but unless people really know what you are dealing with, they tend to back off.having a blood filled cyst is most likely something most people have never heard of.I am wondering just what your doc called this blood filled cyst.Is it a cavernous hemangioma or cavernoma/Do you recall any of your docs using this term?i have/had(still have 10% lurking inside my cord)a cavernous hemangioma or angioma for short.i was born with this inside of my cord at the c 7 T 1 level but it was not discovered until I had to have an MRI to determine a herniated disc a few years ago at age 40.It just showed up on the film as this little glob with kind of a halo around it.This really sounds like what you are dealing with.They are not blood "filled' per sae but actually are a little glob of blood vessels that for some bizarre reason, just form .you can get them in the brain in the spinal cord in the brain stem and even in bone.I have since learned that they can show up in the internal organs as well like the liver.sometimes these are familial and can be inherited,or anyone can get one that just shows up for no apparrent reason.you can, in some cases have more than one.So far, I have only been found to have the one that is lurking inside of my cord.Do you have copies of all of your medical records and radiology reports?if not, get them.Read through them espescially the MRI where this cyst was first found to be inside of your spine to see what the radiologists immpression was of it when he found it.This will tell you alot.He may have called it a cavernoma,or quite possibly a possible AVM,which would be much more dangerous.also, contact the hosp where you had the surgery done and request everything that is in your file.espescially the op notes from your surgery.these notes are made by every surgeon after a surgery and explain what was and wasn't done, and all sorts of other info.if you need answers, your medical records,and I mean ALL of them pertaining to this cyst,will be your best bet.Please let me know what you find out,K?I for one am very interested.FB

NAHNEE · 04-21-2005, 02:07 PM

This blood filled cyst came off the facet joint, like an injury. It wasn't in or on the spinal cord, but it got big enough to compress the spinal cord. It seems, according to the dr., that it was due to the severe osteoarthritis I have of the spine. As I looked back, after the surgery, I was able to remember a time I took a step off my front steps and felt a strange sensation in my upper back. The dr. also presented my case at a convention of orthopaedic surgeons in CA in 2002. He said according to medical journals there are only 3 such cases on record.
It was several days later that the syptoms appeared and I lost coordination and strength in my legs. The paralysis occurred after the surgery to remove the cyst. Steroids were used to treat the inflammation and swelling after surgey. Total paralysis from just below the diaphragm all the way down, lasted for a week. Slowly I got some sensation back and was able to learn to walk again. It has been quite a journey for me these past 3 years. Muscle weakness and coordination haven't improved much any more since just over a year ago.
Thanks so much for writing to me, I find your situation very interesting too. I have never heard of what you have. We learn something new everyday.