6month Post Op Follow up
Female, 32 years-old. History of Chiari I malformation
treated with suboccipital decompressive craniectomy and C1 laminotomy
on 11/06/2025.
I had my follow up after surgery at UPMC Pitt. I was operated on my FRIEDLANDER MD, ROBERT. Who is no longer there, so when I do my follow up appointment in a week it will be a whole new Dr. I got my MRI results through the patient portal. Everything looks unremarkable except this portion of the report:
"The ventricles, sulci, and cisterns are age appropriate. There are
areas of FLAIR nonsuppression within the left temporal and occipital
lobes which appears similar to the prior exam, favored to be
artifactual There are foci of blooming susceptibility signal within
the inferior aspect of the posterior fossa to the left cerebellar
hemisphere which may reflect foci of pneumocephalus versus
hemosiderin deposition."
The concerning part for me in the pneumocephalus. I looked it up and seems to be unusual for this far post op? I'm wondering if it is corelated with the symptoms I have been having. I have had this rice crispy (snap, crackle, pop) sensation since before the surgery. I will get a headache and if I rotate my head and stretch my neck I feel a "popping" and then will get relief. I also still heavily feel my "coat hanger" tightness in my neck and shoulders. I have messaged the team about this before and I get brushed off and was told to wait till my 6 month follow up. I still heavily feel the burning sensation in my face and body when I overexert myself (which isn't much) or when I am hot. I still get intense pressure when I bend over, squat, lift, or there is a change in barometric pressure not as bad as preop but still there. Overall my quality have life has improved but you know its my brain, so I worry.
Am I being paranoid?