Chiari malformation

[cazzer]

I had decompression for chiari malformation on 29th July 2011. I was out of hospital 1st August doing well, with no cough headache, but readmitted on 4th August due to a massive headache that I couldn't shift at all and I was being sick and had a fever. I was put on steroids and oral and IV antibiotics for meningitis. I had an MRI scan, I don't know what anything means so if someone want to decode I would appreciate it.

MRI report from 6 days post surgery 4/08/11
There is a 60x40x40mm pseudomeningocele extending from the residual occipital bone down to the C2/C3 disc level.
Anteriorly tubular focus of intra/extradural haemorrhage. This appears to straddle the dura. This focus returns predominately low signals on T1 and T2, with some fine peripheral high signals on both sequence in keeping with a haemorrhage. The exact relationship with the dura is difficult to define but it appears intradural on the axial imaging, lying just between the posterior limits of the cerebellar tonsils. On the sagittal T2 spine images, there is the impression of a small defect in the dura just to the right of the midline.

I then had a lumbar puncture which showed a pressure of 59. They were going to do another but upon attempting it I started leaking from my wound so they fitted a lumbar drain, which was in place for a week. They said this was to drain the pseudomeningocele? All I know is I felt great with it in place, headaches totally gone.

I then had a CT scan to follow it up on August 22nd. It reads,
Occipital craniectomy and post-surgical pseudomeningocele is noted, the size of the pseudomeningocele remains unchanged.

I was sent home upon finishing the 2 weeks of IV antibiotics on 29th August.

I got increasingly bad headaches and vomiting until 22nd September I couldn't cope and saw my Dr who sent me back to hospital with a temperature. I was admitted. I had a CT scan which read,
The post-surgical pseudomeningocele had reduced very slightly in size.
I started on steroids for suspected chemical meningitis. They did nothing for my headache. I had a lumbar puncture which showed a pressure of 35. I felt fantastic after the lumbar puncture for about 18 hours and then the headache started creeping back in, within 3 days the headache was worse than ever! My NS wanted to do a shunt? Think that is what he called it, however decided against it. I was sent home 12th October on topirimate, which I had an allergic reaction to so had to stop.

My headaches are now really bad, I have got my cough headache back worse than prior to surgery. I am having really bad pain in the base of my skull and stretching into my neck. I am taking amitryptline 60mg, gabapentin 600mg 3x per day as well as diclofenac.

So yeah, any advice? I see a private neurosurgeon on 13th December as my neurosurgeon offered me no more solutions and discharged me totally from his care. I saw a neurologist in hospital who suggested trying the topirimate but that went nowhere. My eyes have developed blind spots but show no optic nerve swelling. I see an eye doctor every 2/3 months due to concerns about the fact I suddenly developed a squint at 15 that suddenly worsened last year.

[MG (Admin)]

I would go to the ER ASAPand make sure the high pressure has not returned...enlarged blind spots are a sign of long term high intracranial pressure and if the pressure is not reduced in time the vision can deteriorate...this is not something that can wait.
You may need another LP and a longterm treatment plan to stop the pressure from returning.
please let u snow how it goes