X Ray Image of distal catheter November 2009.

On May 12, 2014 I had a revision of the distal catheter which runs from the shunt inside my brain all the way down my neck and into my stomach where the csf is reabsorbed into my system. This will be my 9th shunt revision and 2nd in the last two months.  I was told by the Resident who was with me in the OR that my catheter had been calcified.  They were easily able to remove the entire thing and it had been leaking behind my right ear and in two places in my stomach. It was also broken near my stomach which would explain why part of it was scraping the me on the inside. They were able to re-attach the new catheter to the shunt in my brain and run in down into my stomach.  A small piece in my brain was unable to be removed which they were able to work around. The catheter in my stomach and neck had been in place since 1993.

New Distal Catheter as of May 2014. The one on the right side was the catheter which was cut. New one which was re attached is beside it.

Since the surgery I no longer have the pain I was having behind my ear, leaking from the catheter into different parts of my body, pain on the catheter, vibrations inside head and bad taste in my mouth.

Cut where catheter was removed from neck

The stomach internist had to drain out all of the csf which had leaked into different parts of my body such as my intestines. I have four incisions in my stomach and lower abdomen from where they had to remove parts of the catheter and drain out excess fluid. They also needed to make an incision at the top of my neck to remove the rest of the catheter. Additionally the new catheter needed to be attach to the shunt in my brain, so a cut was made there was well.

On Monday, May 12th I will have the catheter in my stomach and abdomen revised. Originally when I saw my surgeon on May 6, he had told me I would have the revision scheduled for May 22. The day after my office visit, my symptoms got worse and I contacted their office to arrange for the surgery to take place as soon as possible before May 22. Since 5:46am this morning, I have had cramping in my stomach and abdomen along with feeling fluid leak from the catheter in my stomach and the usual pains I’ve been feeling in that region. I didn’t feel like waiting until the end of the month because I worried about the symptoms and of having another stroke.  I don’t know if I can handle it emotionally and physically to endure another stroke and the therapy involved in the rehabilitation process. The cramping I had this morning freaked me out because I hadn’t experienced it previously. I should be home by Wednesday if not earlier. Thursday I get to see an neuro-opthamologist about my right eye. The right eye will get better the sooner the catheter in my stomach is fixed.