A man called David LaPlume from New Jersey was diagnosed with a benign meningioma, a kind of cancer that grows just under the skull, above the brain. In going through the process of surgery for the tumor’s removal, his surgeon at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in NJ took photographs before and during the (successful) surgery. Now about two weeks later, LaPlume has posted the photos to Flickr, giving an amazing documentation of his surgery as well as the before-and after, like his girlfriend giving him a mohawk the night before so that he didn’t have a lopsided haircut!
The little dots on my head were used during my pre-operative MRI. Software is used to assign geographical coordinates to the image, enabling the surgeon to pass an infrafed pen over my head, and see the actual location on the MRI screen. This, in turn, allows them to find the precice location of the meningioma (tumor) before cutting into my head.
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Gory photos- but so compelling. Brave man to want to see what they were doing to his head. Don’t think I would want to watch the video of my op!!
Menigioma is not cancer. You should strike that from the above comments so people reading this do not get needlessly frightened.
Well to me it does seem like a kind of cancer. Aren’t all tumours effectively cancer? It may normally be benign as a meningioma, but that doesn’t stop it being cancer surely.
Your in denial if you think that menigiomas aren’t a type of cancer. Just because their not “malignant” does not mean you can’t die from them – my wife almost died from a menigioma the size of my fists.
I went through this op, one year ago today. That’s why I happen to be surfing and found this site. It’s the first time I’ve seen photos of the procedure, and it’s been really interesting. My tumour was according to my surgeon about the same size, he described it as a small orange. I was happy to have my staples out in three days and back home after four days. Then back at work after four weeks. When you first hear brain tumour it seems like a death sentence, but after talking to people with similar problems you find it’s not the end of the world, and in fact teaches you what’s really important in your life.
A friend of mine is scheduled for neurosurgery on July 11th to remove a meningioma. I would like to know what would be most helpful to give to her post-operatively. I’d like to give her something more useful than flowers if possible…
Thank you
I´m a brazilian neurosurgery. Meningioma is not a cancer. It is a benign tumor who may grows in silence during decades – and suddenly causes a convulsion. After the operation, the patient is completely cured. So the persons who have been opered for a meningioma doesn´t have to be worryed anymore.
Gustavo Leal de Meirelles, M.D.
I had a similar operation last year in Inova Hospital VA, everything went ok and I went home 3 days after very happy and wiht a huge blue eyes!.
All the thanks to my surgeon and all the people from the Hospital!
There are many different types of menigiomas. About 80% of them are slow growing and rarely invasive (WHO grade 1 = benign) but those can still produce cranial vault mass effects, seizures, or cause deformations of the skull. The other 20% are atypical menigiomas (WHO grade 2). About 1% are anaplastic menigiomas (WHO grade 3), for which average survival is < 2 years. As far as “brain tumors” go they aren’t that bad, but they are still a tumor in the skull and a serious medical problem.
This is all 2007 information taught at Washington University in St Louis med school, so its pretty up to date.
My grandmother was diagnosed with a meningioma, she is 84 years old and has diabetes and high blood pressure. The neurosurgant thinks that she need to have surgery to remove it, please help with advice since I don’t know what is the best way to go. I am desperate and need to make a decission as soon as possible, any advice is highly appreciated.
I am not certain that Gustavo Leal de Meirelles, M.D. is even a doctor. His comments are beyond insensitive. Beyond the face that there are malignant meningimas, even meningiomas that are considered benign should be considered cancerous. They are cells that are dividing and are causing damage. They caused me double vision and have caused many more problems for friends of mine.
i have been suffering from 2 meningiomas for the past 10 yrs.
i have many symptoms from these, seizures, d. vision, pain in head & face, tremour of hands & mouth balance problems which means i can only walk with a walker. all my lft side is weak.
you say these meningiomas are nothing not on your life
Gustavo seems to be very insensitive and not so intelligent. I had a very large men. removed 4 mths ago and still can not speak well and have terrible short and long term memory issues. Besides having to have yearly mri’s for life and all the seizure meds I am on…… I seem to think that maybe I am NOT completely cured!!!
David LaPlume: I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures of your meningioma removal. I myself underwent removal of a meningioma that was located in my right parietal area on 6/23/08 at Barrow Neurosurgical Institute in Phoenix, AZ. As a nurse, your pictures have educated me to brain anatomy immensely. Textbooks do not do justice to the “real thing” as was captured in your photos. I am recovering albeit slow. My left leg still has numbness and weakness but I am ambulating!! Best wishes for continued good health.
I also had surgery on 6/23– to remove a posterior fossa meningioma in my left cerebellum area. Due to formation of a blood clot, I was back in surgery 2 days later. The surgeries were performed at Yale New Haven Hospital.
My recovery is slow with continued vision and balance problems. The fatigue is a pain.
I don’t think that I was prepared for the ordeal. I was told that I would just “sail right through it”
However, there are more lethal tumors out there. I will get through this.
Meningioma are NOT cancer. They are tumours. If they were cancerous they would not be called meningioma
FYI… I had a meningioma removed on 23 June this year and I am absolutely fine apart from suffering from unusual fatigue. In fact the sight I had lost has returned. I guess it is just where the tumour is, how long it has been there, the skill of your surgeon and you own attitude that make it a success or not. I refused to get down about the whole thing and I feel fantastic
hi! i am presently confined in the hospital right now and was diagnosed as having meningioma. i had a seizure last wed.which has brought me here. my neuro surgeon suggested a surgery. he wants it to be done this mon.since after monday he will be available after 3-4 wks. iam having second thoughts of having the surgery this monday but im very much willing to have the surgery done its just that i need some time.this is not a minor surgery. i want to have enough time for myself to be prepared…physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and of course, financially. me and my husband just came here frm the philippines 4mos. ago.and we are still on the adjustment period.
i dnt know what to expect. iam so nervous and afraid and anxious. pls enlighten my mind. thank you.
Found this site while skimming for any info related to my symptoms…Presented with the nastiest sinus infection on Christmas Eve 06, the er doc “had a hunch” did several tests, scans, etc., 9 hours later was told: the good news was I had severe sinusitus, the bad news was I had a brain tumor. Go home, have a nice Christmas then come back the next day. Jumping forward…cleared up the sinuses & had my benign meningioma removed 02/07, Had one grand mal seizure, middle of the night.. possibly due to conflicting meds, or maybe it was that pesky tumor. After surgery felt sooo much better, eventually drove again and weaned completely from meds.
June 2008…another grand mal seizure, hospitalized one day and I’m back on Tegretol.
Feel good, having a nice Sunday, then wham! 8 consecutive seizures and I’m hospitalized a few days again. No signs of (significant) regrowth.
And no real explanation from my neuro.
Anybody else out there care to weigh in? Much appreciated.
I have been diagnosed with a meningioma just this week. The discovery was quite by accident–I was in the ER thinking I might be experiencing a stroke or heart attack, and the CT scan showed a tumor. The next day’s MRI showed a 1 inch meningioma that had absolutely nothing to do with the problems I had experienced. That turned out to be bone spurs and a bulging disk in my neck. However, the meningioma is only about an inch big, pre-symptomatic, and will be removed after my son’s wedding in a few weeks. I found this site while researching my situation, and I want to thank you for posting these pictures. It has helped me tremendously, and made my wife quite queasy.
I am currently 23 yrs old and I had a meningioma I went to various neuros. 2 find the best surgeons After ther whole process of finding the right neuro. I came across Dr. Kalmon Post at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City who I highly recommend. He saved my life my meningioma was 6cm and was blockin my brain fluids which produces daily and also was causin sweeling in the lining of the brain I was in days of jus passing out and fallin into a coma or jus dying. On sept.19,08 I had a craniotomy 2 remove my tumor which was a BENIGN meningioma. And now I can say I’m a survivor of a brain tumor called meningioma and my new bday is 9/19/2008
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE. I TOO UNDERWENT SURGERY FOR THE REMOVAL OF A VERY LARGE BUT BENIGN MENINGIOMA. THE TUMOR WAS SO FILLED WITH BLOOD THAT IT RUPTURED ON THE OPERATING TABLE CAUSING ME TO LOSE TWO UNITS OF BLOOD. THANKFULLY, THE SURGEON WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE GROWTH AND WITH A LASER DESTROYED THE NUB (ATTACHMENT POINT). REGRETTABLY, I WAS LEFT WITHOUT A SENSE OF SMELL SINCE A LARGE PORTION OF THE CRANIAL NERVE WAS ENVELOPED BY THE TUMOR. A SMALL PRICE TO PAY CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVE. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I CAN TASTE MY FOOD. THE WORST PART OF THE EXPERIENCE WAS HAVING TO TAKE DILANTIN (ANTISEIZURE DRUG) AND DECADRON (STEROID TO REDUCE BRAIN SWELLING) FOR A PERIOD OF TIME POST OP. THE MEDS MADE ME FEEL LOUSY. FELT FINE WHEN I WAS ALLOWED TO STOP TAKING THEM. I DIDN’T SUFFER ANY AFTER PAIN FROM THE SURGERY, JUST SOME ITCHING WHEN MY HAIR BEGAN TO GROW BACK. EXCEPT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO SMELL ANYTHING, MY LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL. I WISH ALL OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
My mother died following treatment of a meningioma, complete cure predicted. She was not operated upon, but instead had gamma knife surgery. Swelling followed 6 months later, got worse, she became paralyzed, the doctors said more steroids, and several weeks later her intestines ruptured twice, a complication of the steroid treatment. Would she have survived with surgery, considered the steroids slowly killed her, or maybe the gamma knife? The doctors elected to operate; had she had the operation, she might be alive and well today. Is this medical negligence? Too late now — she is dead.
sorry, follow up — i meant to say that doctors elected NOT to operate — had she been operated on, she might be alive today. The second opinion doctor at Cornell Weill Medical Center said she should have an operation, but the advice had already been followed to do gamma knife surgery, and the doctors didn’t expect the swelling to go on and on, and to be late stage swelling like it was, 6 months later. Perhaps that would have happened even if she had had the operation. Does anyone know anything like this situation?
Today I consider myself very, very lucky and extremely blessed. For 7 months in 2006 I did not know if I was going to live or die.
My meningioma was in an incredibly sensitive area ~ stuck all the way down between the two halves, and sitting on top of the corpus callosum. My neurosurgeon was reluctant to remove it….until I started having seizures and extreme weakness in my extremeties. Surgery was scheduled, and I prepared myself and my family as best as I could. The most important and meaningful thing I did was getting my hair cut to 1/2 inch all over, 2 days before the surgery ~ in front of my 8-year old daughter. I knew that my head would be completely shaved for the surgery, and I didn’t want to go into the hospital with a full head of hair, and have my daughter see me after surgery totally bald and scary looking. I think having her involved really helped her to cope with “mommmy’s” differences after surgery.
Because my tumor was in such a bad place, the surgery did not go well. The main arteries were involved and I hemorrhaged, an air embolism went to my heart and I went into cardiac arrest. I was able to pull through with the expertise of my doctors and a lot of prayer, but I spent over a week in the ICU and almost 7 months in the hospital fighting infections and learning to walk again. During the chaos in the operating room…. several nerves were cut and I woke up with no feeling in my left leg. None. It was as if it was never there. Needless to say, it was a long arduous journey back, but besides for a new style of “walk”, I’m doing just fine.
You may wonder why I am telling you my story, you may even think that I’m being an alarmist. But I feel that people need to understand that a meningioma is NOT a trifling inconvenience. For everyone that has an easy-breezy experience with their meningioma, there is another that has had to deal with it as I did.
My dad had a surgery to remove meningioma in left frontal lobe. It was diagnosed in Dec when he had a minor epileptic attack. The meningioma was 6cm x 2cm. The operation went well and he seems to be getting better. His surgery was last week however, he hardly speaks and is having some slight problems with memory and some changes in personality as well. Doctors said these are due to edema post operation. Are these symptoms temporary and common post surgery? How long does it take to “fully” recover?
I to had to have surgery to remove my meningiomas. I happened to have 4 of them the first one they found was in my left frontal lobe it was about 3.5 cm . The other three were kinda like dead center in the middle of my head but they were on top of each other but seperate . The neurosurgeon did a headband type of incision ear to ear basically I Had probally 50 + staples in my head plus a few stiches The neurosurgeon did not remove one of them because of its location ( on my sagital sinus ) . Mine were most likely caused by the radiation treatments I had when I was younger, due to having leukemia at age 2 .I had my surgery in aug. of 2008 , I had a real rough two months post op. the first two weeks after my surgery I had 2 grand mal seizures, and I was on dilantin which was not the medicine for me because my body metabolized it to quick . I had really bad aniexty also from the dilatin . Learning to walk after having this type of surgery was also hard , I kept feeling like I was on a carousel and would lose my balance real quick . I’t lasted for about a good 2 1/2 months . I did not have to many memory problems post op , my memory problems now stem from my anti-seizure medicine I’m on keppra now I’t is so much better for me . At this point in time I’m still feeling a little bit of my scalp still adhering to my skull . And let me talk about pain my skull is still fusing back together in parts because he had to cut my skull in so many different places. But thank the lord , if I did not start getting the symptoms that i had these , Im 34 and i’ve had these meninigiomas for at least 30 years and did not have any symptoms of having these until late july of 2008 . My symptoms ,the first one i had gotten was like light headedness , feeling like i was going to pass out , and then head rushes it did not matter if i was driving , sitting on the couch or walking , then came the headaches nothing would relieve them ,then the last one was a real severe pressure in the top of my head like my head was going to explode . I did not have any seizures as a symptom thank the lord because i was working full time and where ever i went my 4 year old daughter went because my husband worked 2cd shift.
I just thank the lord every day for pulling me through my surgery ( my surgery was suppose to be a 4 1/2 hour surgery and it turned out to be a 6 hour ). I had my surgery done at JOHN’S HOPKINS and I highly recommend the docters there . If any one has any questions , please feel free to ask me . GOD BLESS
I would like to thank all of you for posting your past experiences with meningiomas. I also have a meningioma in anterior cranial fossa, I had 1 car accident and 2 major seizures 1 just happen while I was working on Superbowl Sunday. I did not want to have this operation but after reading all of your stories I think I will go through with the operation. My wife and my mom keep telling me to go have the operation but I told myself if I have another seizure(which I did) I will go through with the operation. Thank you very much for this very educated article and the great comments from all of you. I will come back here and keep you all posted how my operation went. GOD BLESS.
my husband needs a surgery he has a meningioma he is scared he is losing his sight the doc says he will go blind and with the surgery he still might go blind or die or become paralyzed age is 33 and his tumor is getting bigger he is using some medice from africa which to me is not working please somebody help me please respnd to this he keep cancelling his surgery two times so far the first time the doc never made it to him he supposely had an emergency surgery with a 13 year old
My husband had surgery to remove a memingioma about 8 years ago. Is it possible that his emotions got affected from this surgery? It was on the left side of his brain and after the surgery he lost his eye sight for a whole day. It took him 6 mos. of therapy to learn how to speak again and I know he has numbness around his month. I’m asking this because he seems like he doesn’t experience normal feelings of love. He gets confused when driving because he has a limited sense of direction. Mostly, I just want to know if his capacity to love has been affected by some brain damage?
I found this site by accident I have just been diagnosed with a spinal meningioma, which seems to be pretty rare. The meningioma is located between the T2 and T3 vertebrae and is pushing on my spinal cord. My symptoms, inability to pee well and a spastic walk, were dismissed as a probable injury, and my HMO primary care doctors said there was nothing they could do for me. Only after pleading for help with a former interneist did I get a referral to a neurologist and an MRI. for me, this a sad lesson in how messed up our health system is, but I’m trying now to look forward, Does anyone have any experience with spinal meningioma.
I was trying to look for something to read about pre-surgery preparations when i saw this site about David’s operation. Mine is a combination of hyperostosis and a meningioma, same left side of the head. I am scheduled this March ‘09 for an operation. We will know the schedule 1st week of March . I am married with 2 kids. As of now, I am afraid on what will happen after the operation though my doctor said there is minimal risk on these kinds of operations. I have been operated thru ceasarian section already but being operated in the head is different. Relatives and friends are supportive when they found out about my condition but still there is fear in me. I onced said to my husband, i am afraid to die…because i still want to see my kids grow and have their own families.
My daughter had a spinal meningioma. It also was very difficult to diagnois. Her tumor was at C1 . T2 is a better location to have a tumor if there is a better location. She is doing great and her surgery was in Arizona at the Barrow Neurological Institute , a very renowed surgeon preformed the operation Dr, Robert Spetzler. I would suggest getting a good surgeon in a facility that has performed many of these operations. Good luck to you and God Bless.
I had a 3.5 cm meningioma on my left frontal lobe removed 8 months ago. I could feel the difference in my thinking and feelings as soon as I woke up. The feeling of chronic anxiety that I had been feeling for years was gone. My attention span and focus improved, and the explosive headaches were gone. It wasn’t as if everything was rosy. The side-effects of the steroids made me feel awful, and I had minor headaches for about 3 months. And I still get tired sometimes. But I feel like a different person, a much improved version. The biggest problem I had was to get my doctor and the neurologist to believe that
the tumour was big enough to cause symptoms. It took 3 months and crying on the phone to convince my doctor to refer me to a neurosurgeon. Trust your instincts and fight for the treatment you think you should get.
Check out skullbase institute @ skullbaseinstitute.com Give it some consideration before surgery. It’s not for every type of meningioma.
This is a question with regard to Laura’s Mom. May I ask who were the doctors at NYP-Cornell Weill Medical College. I am currently seeking a second opinion on the LINAC surgery and was wondering who to go to.
sortroom.net
hello to everybody, it’s just happen scrolling to find out what will be the next risk to encounter recurrence of meningioma. I have a surgery last 6/13/07 at the left temporal lobe that connected to my left face chewing muscles the size is 6.5 cm and it takes 10 hrs. after the surgery I feel so weak and I’m out in the hospital after 4 days. After that I back again to the hospital because of the seizure maybe bec. of the medicine it’s not really easy I have a problem in talking & breathing, feel so dizzy. The best way I can share is just to be strong, pray and for the caregivers or partners be patient and research more about meningioma so that you will thoroughly understand. I am so thankful to my husband for always there every day morning & night because our family is in the phils. As of now I’m working full time still I have pain on my left face bec. my doctor said I have a damaged nerve. I have mri follow up every 6 mos. The advise I can share be positive & think that God is always with us. In my hallucination b4 I heard and talking to God that he said ” dad he wants to go back and i heard another voice, ok let her go back” that’s the time i woke up when my husband touch me bec. it seems i’m in a nightmare at that time. Feel free to email me, I love to share my experience… Thanks & god bless…
I’ve just read the response to my post of February 14, 2009. My surgery for spinal meningioma (actually, it turned out to be a schwanoma) on February 25 was totally successful. Immediately after the surgery, I noticed I could wiggle my toes, something I hadn’t been able to do for months. I was walking in a few days, and I could have gone back to work in two weeks if anyone had let me. In June I took a 7-mile walk. I will be forever grateful to my neurosurgeon Gordan Tang. And thanks for the response–that I’m just reading now!
It’s almost been a year since my original posting (#18) No meningioma regrowth, but many problems with seizures and finding a med that keeps the partial as well as the grand mals away. Currently trying depakote. Keppra, dilantin, and tegretol did not work for me. Thinking of seeking a 2nd opinion (Neurologist) in the San Francisco area. Any input is welcomed.
Nancy,
Try Dr. Garcia ( Kaiser )
Hi – Thank you for sharing your story and pics…I am happy that you survived and are doing well! I have had a meningioma for ten years now and just had an mri w/contrast…it seems to have grown up from the pea size it once was…it is approximately the same size as your little alien was and located in about the same spot as yours was, on my right temple (a good operable location!) …your story and photos have helped me to deal with this little intruder as i most likely will be following your footsteps…thanks again for sharing your story mate, it has helped me alot!
All the best,
rob
I have just been diagnosed with a small 6mm x 11mm meningioma and they have given me choices of surgery, or just scan it once a year. I’m at a lose as to what choice to make. Any suggestions? Thanks Nancy 59 years old Marion OHio
Wife had almost identical size/location meningioma removed in May. ~7.5 hours surgery, 4 day hospital stay and a month out of work. Unfortunately, there was a lingering infection and this week they went back in to “clean-up”. Bad news: the infection was centered on the inside of the flap and was extensive enough to render the flap un-useable. So, they closed up with no bone in place and will have to go in again in 6 mos or so to install a prosthetic flap to cover the hole. A bit spooky with half the forehead bone not there and 6 mos in that condition. Looks like another month out of work. We are getting IV antiobiotics adminstered at home through a visiting nurse program. Patient is home now. ~3 hr surgery, 1.5 days ICU, 3 day hospital stay.
Getting tired of this dragging on, but still positive in that there are many worse things to face. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
I am scheduled for removal of a 1-cm meningioma on the left sphenoid wing next week. Due to a history of breast cancer, my surgeon recommended surgery rather than MRIs every 3-4 months! What about afterwards–what can you do or not do during the recovery period? I read the posts about fatigue. What else should I expect?
#18 Just wanted to set your mind at ease. I had this surgery done on Sept 1 and today is 1 month later. I have been back to work for two weeks now. I am a bookkeeper. Aside for getting tired easy. I feel fine, the surgery was 7 hours. I was operated on Monday and went home by Thurs. No problems, I feel fine and look fine. Please do not worry. I had a great surgeon and a great hospital “Stony Brook University”
I am a 57 year old women that had previous radiation for one Cutaneous T Cell lympoma. It was just confirmed by MRI and CT with contrast that I have a 6mm meningoma in my clivis area, near the pons. I believe this would be considered the posterior fossa area. I’m scared to death and have a neuro surgery consult on the 27th of Jan at the Univesity of UT neuroscience center. I had three bouts of vertigo and some balance issues, over a 9 month period, and went to see internist for an ENT referral. The Internist decided to do MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma and they found the meningoma. I have no idea if Proton Beam radiation is an option, but wonder if anyone out there has done this. I see one mention of a gamma knife procedure. Is surgery the usual first approach? Has anyone had surgery at the University of Utah hospital with a University Neurosurgeon?
I had surgery on Feb 1, 2010, just 3 weeks ago this past Monday. I was at Johns Hopkins and had a terrific experience with Dr. Weingart. I had an 8.7 cm benign menigioma in the parietal lobe. 4 hour sugery, 1 night in ICU and home 3 days after the surgery. I am a nurse and researched where to go. Hopkins is a wonderful place and my surgeon is so careful about everything. In fact, Ive emailed him about what I think are trivial matters (like when can i resume getting accupucture) and he responds right away. I liked that Hopkins had wireless everything so there wasn’t the constant beeping of equipment, but I’ve always been sound sensitive. As someone else mentioned, as soon as I woke up, I could tell my head was clear, my hearing was better and I felt good. This experience is a real life changer and I am so happy to be alive. Right now I am just tired all the time, but besides that and a very bad haircut, I am doing great and looking forward to a good life.
Mary