Yes, Dr. Spetzler is great. He is the chief neurosurgeon there at Barrorw's. I'm not for sure if he does pediatric neurosurgery or not, but if he happens to not, there are a lot of doctors in that group and have heard that they are all extremely good. I would trust any one of them.
Good luck. By the way, you are right....brain cysts are horrible! Mine has caused a world of grief for me over the years....well, that and my shunt. I just went through a few years of dealing with too low of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid). My shunt was over draining due to a leaky valve and the doctor I see at Duke now, here in NC, didn't pick up on it and just let me go downhill for the past few years. I was the one who had to request he do a spinal tap to measure my pressure, and it was then that they realized mine was way too low...almost bottomed out. Since May, I have had 5 spinal taps and surgery to clamp my shunt so it doesn't drain anymore. So, some doctors are just really good and knowledgeable with these cysts, while others are just not.
I have spent a lot of time researching everything to do with brain cysts, shunts, cerebral spinal fluid, etc., so that I can play an active role in my own healthcare. If I didn't, I'm not so sure I'd still be here today.
Let me know what you find out about Dr. Spetzler. If he can help your son and you decide to go that route, it's well worth the trip to Phoenix to let him help.
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Yes, Dr. Spetzler is great. He is the chief neurosurgeon there at Barrorw's. I'm not for sure if he does pediatric neurosurgery or not, but if he happens to not, there are a lot of doctors in that group and have heard that they are all extremely good. I would trust any one of them.
Good luck. By the way, you are right....brain cysts are horrible! Mine has caused a world of grief for me over the years....well, that and my shunt. I just went through a few years of dealing with too low of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid). My shunt was over draining due to a leaky valve and the doctor I see at Duke now, here in NC, didn't pick up on it and just let me go downhill for the past few years. I was the one who had to request he do a spinal tap to measure my pressure, and it was then that they realized mine was way too low...almost bottomed out. Since May, I have had 5 spinal taps and surgery to clamp my shunt so it doesn't drain anymore. So, some doctors are just really good and knowledgeable with these cysts, while others are just not.
I have spent a lot of time researching everything to do with brain cysts, shunts, cerebral spinal fluid, etc., so that I can play an active role in my own healthcare. If I didn't, I'm not so sure I'd still be here today.
Let me know what you find out about Dr. Spetzler. If he can help your son and you decide to go that route, it's well worth the trip to Phoenix to let him help.
Maria
September 10, 2014 - 8:14amThis Comment
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