Flap replacement surgery after 5 years..opinions??

[momonwheels]

My youngest son was injured in 2006. He has tons of complications, including having to have one of the flaps remove after replacement because of infection. What resulted was more brain tissue removal, infection of his brain, meninges, and skull..and then failure if the dura mater to heal. Eventually all resolved, but Sam remains without a right flap 5 years hence.

His neurosurgeon has offered to put in an artificial skull flap, but I am hesitant. We are asking Sam his wants (he is non-verbal and cognition seems to vary) but I don't think e is aware of what may happen. Sam does suffer rather severe headaches frequently, and I have heard this is common with a missing flap.

Has anyone recently gone through this procedure, after so much time has passed???

Thanks!
Jean..Sam's mom
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[Porkette]

Hi Jean,

I'm so sorry to hear about Sam's medical condition. I know when I had brain surgery for epilepsy my neurosurgeon removed 75% of the right temporal lobe and all of the right hippocampus he then fused the
skull bone back together and I don't understand why Sam's Dr. didn't do the same thing. I also made sure that the Dr. gave me antibiotics 1 days before the surgery was done and then continue them for awhile for safety.
I know I had wicked headaches for about 4 months after the surgery was done and I can't imagine how it would feel going 5 yrs. If I were in your place I would start Sam on vitamin B12 once a day 500 mcg. for child and
1000 mcg. for an adult. This helps calms the nerves down and stops the pain. Also tell Sam to put a cold washcloth on his face and neck 3 times a day if not more this helps calm the neurons down in the brain that's
triggering the pain and firing up the neurons in his brain. If you haven't done it yet I would get a second opinion from another neurosurgeon as to what could be done. I don't understand what's stopping his Dr. from taking
care of the problem and waiting so long. My Dr. was going to put a metal plate in my brain to help me out when they did surgery but they didn't have to because they were able to fuse the bone back together.
I wish you and Sam the best of luck and May God Bless You Both!

Sue