Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

[Guest guest]

I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially if they don't get all

the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar Tissue. And with the

possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

Me

Nebraska, USA

mymocha@...

but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

[Guest guest]

I've read that also and mine has re-tethered for the 2nd time,there's to

much scar tissue from the first two that the risks of going back in would only

cause more problems don;'t know what other problems I think I already have

them going on. Do any of the Adults that have had un tethering surgery as adults

find so many more complications? I try to stay strong but I think the not

knowing what lies ahead get's one mind working at times .I often wonder being I

was born with SB but not affected until age 29 if it would have been easier

to handle things differently if I had been affected as a infant. Though I am

so thankful for those 29 yrs and 4 beautiful children including a set of

twins and no complications having them nor do any have SB.

Marjorie

[Guest guest]

Hi Marjorie...My 16 year old daughter is in your very same position..though

she had three untetherings and each time had such significant scar tissue that

the risk/benefit ratio clearly changed. She has numbness now

intermittently and the nsg of course suggests now not proceeding unless she

develops

actual motor symptoms etc. I am thinking that one day they will surely come up

with THE substance that will 100% prevent the formation of scar tissue!!

Stay strong ...

Randee

[Guest guest]

Yes..my understanding is also that the lipoma is always there and that is

why MRI's will always show a tethered cord and that one can only judge by

symptoms following the first surgery. If only we had known about the scar

tissue

I guess we might have waited longer for that first surgery...but...one can't

predict who is going to scar significantly and who isn't..a great research

project for someone!

Randee

[Guest guest]

From what I understood from the nsg who did my second

surgery, they can almost never remove an entire lipoma

because there are nerves tangled in it. They cut away

as much as they can, but they can't tease all of the

nerves out of the mass without risking serious

neurological damage at levels below the lipoma.

I was told lipomas almost never grow back, unless you

gain a lot of weight (somewhere in the neighborhood of

100 pounds, I believe my nsg told me). " Almost never "

didn't work in my case. Mine grew back, and grew back

again. The most weight I have gained was 40 pounds

during a pregnancy.

--- Brande wrote:

> I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially

> if they don't get all

> the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar

> Tissue. And with the

> possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

>

> Me

> Nebraska, USA

> mymocha@...

>

> but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Abby...We knew about the scar tissue because our daughter's symptoms

returned (pain and numbness down both legs) and when they went in, the cord was

now tethered by the scar tissue versus the original lipoma. It is not a

likely occurrence so hopefully it will never happen with your little girl.

Most

kids with a simple lipoma have surgery and then that is that...according to

our nsg's.

Randee

[Guest guest]

I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow back " . I dont

understand that. From what I have read and heard, the lipoma is just

adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips or thighs. It is not a

tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where to grow. If you get

fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If you get thin, the size

of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a strand of lipoma, and you

cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it can grow back

together, unless the person gets very fat and the distance between two

edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have heard over and over

again from neurosurgeons.

Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

Abby.

>

> I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially if they don't

get all

> the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar Tissue. And with the

> possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

>

> Me

> Nebraska, USA

> mymocha@...

>

> but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

>

[Guest guest]

When you have an un-tethering surgery, how do you know if you generate

a lot of scar tissue or less scar tissue? Do you only know about it

after you re-tether again? My daughter had her untethering about 3.5

months back at the age of 7 months. She is not showing any symptoms,

but I was just wondering how I would know whether she is generating a

lot of scar tissue or not.

Thanks, Abby.

>

> Hi Marjorie...My 16 year old daughter is in your very same

position..though

> she had three untetherings and each time had such significant scar

tissue that

> the risk/benefit ratio clearly changed. She has numbness now

> intermittently and the nsg of course suggests now not proceeding

unless she develops

> actual motor symptoms etc. I am thinking that one day they will

surely come up

> with THE substance that will 100% prevent the formation of scar

tissue!!

>

> Stay strong ...

> Randee

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Wow, so your lipoma really did grow back? That is so disturbing to me.

Perhaps it was just that since they didnt remove the lipoma completely

the existing lipoma and scar tissue stuck back together? Is that

possible? What does it mean when you say that the lipoma grew back?

Did the lipoma know what shape and direction to grow in - ie, did it

know what kind of cell it was? If it just plain adipose tissue like

they say a lipoma is, how is that possible? Did they do a pathology

assessment of what it was when they removed the lipoma? Maybe it had

some other stuff apart from plain old fat/adipose tissues. The science

of this is hard to understand.

Our ns said almost exactly the same thing as yours. My daughter had a

filum type lipoma - one small spaghetti like strand attaching from

T12/L1 to about L3 with no nerve involvement. The ns just cut the

in-between parts of the lipoma leaving a little on top and little in

the bottom to minimize the incision on the dura. His logic was that

the incision is going to be below the first end of lipoma, and below

the conus. Since these two ends of lipomas are never going to grow

back together, there is very little chance of retethering (they never

say never).

Hope it doesnt grow back :=(

Abby.

>

> > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially

> > if they don't get all

> > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar

> > Tissue. And with the

> > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> >

> > Me

> > Nebraska, USA

> > mymocha@...

> >

> > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

You read what is widely understood to be the case.

Lipomas do not grow back because they are fat tissue,

not " growing " tissue. I had my first surgery at 20. I

asked if the lump would grow back and was told " Not

unless you gain about 100 pounds " . My lipoma is right

at the bottom of my back/top of my butt. I knew it

was growing back because my pants were fitting funny

again. I told the nsg before my second surgery that

the lipoma grew back. He said no, the symptoms

weren't from the lipoma growing back, but rather from

scar tissue. He came to my bedside in the recovery

room and said " Your lipoma grew back. " Well, no duh,

do you think a woman doesn't know the shape of her

butt??

It isn't supposed to happen, but sometimes it does. I

don't know that grow is exactly what it does or if it

just attracts fat cells and increases in size that

way. I know that my lipoma is again growing. I weigh

115 pounds. I weighed 135 when they removed the

lipoma 8 years ago. I know it's weird and I know it

isn't the norm, but it does happen sometimes. I just

don't think it's sometimes enough for them to really

pay attention to (which is a good thing).

--- subub_98 wrote:

> I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow

> back " . I dont

> understand that. From what I have read and heard,

> the lipoma is just

> adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips or

> thighs. It is not a

> tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where to

> grow. If you get

> fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If you

> get thin, the size

> of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a strand of

> lipoma, and you

> cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it can

> grow back

> together, unless the person gets very fat and the

> distance between two

> edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have

> heard over and over

> again from neurosurgeons.

>

> Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

>

> Abby.

>

>

> >

> > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> especially if they don't

> get all

> > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar

> Tissue. And with the

> > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> >

> > Me

> > Nebraska, USA

> > mymocha@...

> >

> > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I say " grow back " but I really don't know that it's

growing the way a normal tumor would grow. It could

just be collecting fat cells. Lord knows, any time I

gain weight, it's my butt that gets it first. )

I don't know how it is happening. The science is

wrong for growth. They did biopsy it, because they do

it with anything they remove from your body,

apparently. The lipoma I had from birth grew with me.

Since the first time it was removed, I wasn't long

done growing, I can't say if it would have kept

getting bigger anyway. I just don't know. But I

agree with you that it is weird, and more than just a

bit annoying. I think it is also very rare and that

bodes well for other people with lipoma tethers.

--- subub_98 wrote:

> ,

>

> Wow, so your lipoma really did grow back? That is so

> disturbing to me.

> Perhaps it was just that since they didnt remove the

> lipoma completely

> the existing lipoma and scar tissue stuck back

> together? Is that

> possible? What does it mean when you say that the

> lipoma grew back?

> Did the lipoma know what shape and direction to grow

> in - ie, did it

> know what kind of cell it was? If it just plain

> adipose tissue like

> they say a lipoma is, how is that possible? Did they

> do a pathology

> assessment of what it was when they removed the

> lipoma? Maybe it had

> some other stuff apart from plain old fat/adipose

> tissues. The science

> of this is hard to understand.

>

> Our ns said almost exactly the same thing as yours.

> My daughter had a

> filum type lipoma - one small spaghetti like strand

> attaching from

> T12/L1 to about L3 with no nerve involvement. The ns

> just cut the

> in-between parts of the lipoma leaving a little on

> top and little in

> the bottom to minimize the incision on the dura. His

> logic was that

> the incision is going to be below the first end of

> lipoma, and below

> the conus. Since these two ends of lipomas are never

> going to grow

> back together, there is very little chance of

> retethering (they never

> say never).

>

> Hope it doesnt grow back :=(

>

> Abby.

>

>

> >

> > > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> especially

> > > if they don't get all

> > > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar

> > > Tissue. And with the

> > > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> > >

> > > Me

> > > Nebraska, USA

> > > mymocha@...

> > >

> > > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk

> of

> > > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> > __________________________________________________

> >

[Guest guest]

Lipoma certainly do recur in the skin. If the original lesion is not completely

removed, they can grow back.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

You read what is widely understood to be the case.

Lipomas do not grow back because they are fat tissue,

not " growing " tissue. I had my first surgery at 20. I

asked if the lump would grow back and was told " Not

unless you gain about 100 pounds " . My lipoma is right

at the bottom of my back/top of my butt. I knew it

was growing back because my pants were fitting funny

again. I told the nsg before my second surgery that

the lipoma grew back. He said no, the symptoms

weren't from the lipoma growing back, but rather from

scar tissue. He came to my bedside in the recovery

room and said " Your lipoma grew back. " Well, no duh,

do you think a woman doesn't know the shape of her

butt??

It isn't supposed to happen, but sometimes it does. I

don't know that grow is exactly what it does or if it

just attracts fat cells and increases in size that

way. I know that my lipoma is again growing. I weigh

115 pounds. I weighed 135 when they removed the

lipoma 8 years ago. I know it's weird and I know it

isn't the norm, but it does happen sometimes. I just

don't think it's sometimes enough for them to really

pay attention to (which is a good thing).

--- subub_98 wrote:

> I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow

> back " . I dont

> understand that. From what I have read and heard,

> the lipoma is just

> adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips or

> thighs. It is not a

> tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where to

> grow. If you get

> fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If you

> get thin, the size

> of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a strand of

> lipoma, and you

> cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it can

> grow back

> together, unless the person gets very fat and the

> distance between two

> edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have

> heard over and over

> again from neurosurgeons.

>

> Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

>

> Abby.

>

>

> >

> > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> especially if they don't

> get all

> > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar

> Tissue. And with the

> > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> >

> > Me

> > Nebraska, USA

> > mymocha@...

> >

> > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I do not know about lipomas in the spinal cord, but I do know about lipomas in

the skin. They are benign tumors, and they recur, if they're not completely

removed. Dermatologist do not consider them normal tissue.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow back " . I dont

understand that. From what I have read and heard, the lipoma is just

adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips or thighs. It is not a

tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where to grow. If you get

fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If you get thin, the size

of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a strand of lipoma, and you

cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it can grow back

together, unless the person gets very fat and the distance between two

edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have heard over and over

again from neurosurgeons.

Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

Abby.

>

> I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially if they don't

get all

> the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar Tissue. And with the

> possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

>

> Me

> Nebraska, USA

> mymocha@...

>

> but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

>

[Guest guest]

I don't know that " recur " and " grow back " are the same

things, though. According to the web site at Hershey

Medical Center, lipomas grow to a limited size (so

they don't just keep growing and growing), but also I

read if the capsule of the lipoma is left behind, it

can regrow. This information is the exact opposite of

what two neurosurgeons told me, but experience has

shown me that they do grow back (at least mine did).

Other web sites talking about lipomas seem to indicate

that subcutaneous lipomas are the only type of

lipomas, which we know isn't true. Perhaps the

different lipomas behave differently, because just a

quick look indicates to me that most sites don't

discuss lipomas that occur deeper in the body (in the

organs or in the spinal cord).

--- Chappler wrote:

> Lipoma certainly do recur in the skin. If the

> original lesion is not completely removed, they can

> grow back.

> Ron

> Re: rate of reocurring tethered

> cord/Lipo

>

>

> You read what is widely understood to be the case.

>

> Lipomas do not grow back because they are fat

> tissue,

> not " growing " tissue. I had my first surgery at

> 20. I

> asked if the lump would grow back and was told

> " Not

> unless you gain about 100 pounds " . My lipoma is

> right

> at the bottom of my back/top of my butt. I knew it

> was growing back because my pants were fitting

> funny

> again. I told the nsg before my second surgery

> that

> the lipoma grew back. He said no, the symptoms

> weren't from the lipoma growing back, but rather

> from

> scar tissue. He came to my bedside in the recovery

> room and said " Your lipoma grew back. " Well, no

> duh,

> do you think a woman doesn't know the shape of her

> butt??

>

> It isn't supposed to happen, but sometimes it

> does. I

> don't know that grow is exactly what it does or if

> it

> just attracts fat cells and increases in size that

> way. I know that my lipoma is again growing. I

> weigh

> 115 pounds. I weighed 135 when they removed the

> lipoma 8 years ago. I know it's weird and I know

> it

> isn't the norm, but it does happen sometimes. I

> just

> don't think it's sometimes enough for them to

> really

> pay attention to (which is a good thing).

>

>

>

> --- subub_98 wrote:

>

> > I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow

> > back " . I dont

> > understand that. From what I have read and

> heard,

> > the lipoma is just

> > adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips

> or

> > thighs. It is not a

> > tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where

> to

> > grow. If you get

> > fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If

> you

> > get thin, the size

> > of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a

> strand of

> > lipoma, and you

> > cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it

> can

> > grow back

> > together, unless the person gets very fat and

> the

> > distance between two

> > edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have

> > heard over and over

> > again from neurosurgeons.

> >

> > Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

> >

> > Abby.

> >

> >

> > >

> > > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> > especially if they don't

> > get all

> > > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the

> Scar

> > Tissue. And with the

> > > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> > >

> > > Me

> > > Nebraska, USA

> > > mymocha@...

> > >

> > > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk

> of

> > > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hmm, interesting point. Now, I can truly say that I am totally

confused. I wonder if the spinal cord lipoma is similar to skin lipoma.

I searched google for " spinal cord lipoma grow back " , and came to this

article, which says: " Lipoma or lipomyelomeningocele causes tethering

due to fatty tissue connecting to the lower end of the spinal cord.

This produces tethering by the attachment of the fat to the

surrounding tissues of the back. It is important to recognize that the

fatty tissue in a lipoma is normal fat, not tumor tissue. It is normal

fat in an abnormal place. It will only grow in proportion to the

remainder of the fat in the body. In the surgical procedure, the fatty

tissue is disconnected from the attachment to the spinal cord and

removed, thus untethering the cord. "

http://neurosurgery4kids.net/tetheredspinalcord.htm

I also found another link, that pertains very well to our situation.

It talks about intra-spinal lipomas.

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext & pid=S0004-282X2001000100023

It says: " The main purpose of surgery for lipoma is not total removal

but decompression of the adjacent neural structures, since both types,

extramedullary and intramedullary lipomas, are closely involved with

the surrounding parenchyma and adjacent nerve roots. Subtotal removal

carries no higher risk of recurrence than total removal and total

removal has resulted in postoperative neurological dysfunction due to

disruption of spinal cord elements. "

It also says:

" Histologically, lipomas are an mixture of highly vascularized

lobulated fatty tissue separated by delicate connective tissue and

interposed in the neural tissue. All intraspinal lipoma cells also

have the same metabolic properties as normal adipocytes suggesting

that intraspinal lipomas are not lipomatous tumors but hamartomatous

lesions, capable of growth and regression and can be influenced by

diet and weight gain "

But ofcourse, then it says this :=(

" It should be emphasized that if the spinal cord lipomas are

asymptomatic they should be left alone. "

- Abby.

> >

> > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially if they don't

> get all

> > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar Tissue. And

with the

> > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> >

> > Me

> > Nebraska, USA

> > mymocha@

> >

> > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In my case, I know the lipoma is growing because I can

see it. Can you see where your daughter's lipoma is?

If you can't see it, but know where it is, just watch

it. Mine deforms my backside. When it was removed, my

lower back was flat. As it grows, my lower back is no

longer flat and my pants fit weird.

You're right about what the literature says.

--- subub_98 wrote:

> In the end, I guess it does not matter what the

> literature says. What

> matters is what happens to us. I wish there was an

> easy way of

> monitoring the growth of lipoma - like a standard

> mri every year or so

> and compare that with baseline. Unfortunately in our

> case, the child

> is an infant, so we would have to sedate her every

> time for the mri.

> But atleast we would know whether the lipoma is

> growing/changing or

> just staying the same..

>

> Abby.

>

>

> > > > >

> > > > > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> > > > especially if they don't

> > > > get all

> > > > > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus

> the

> > > Scar

> > > > Tissue. And with the

> > > > > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> > > > >

> > > > > Me

> > > > > Nebraska, USA

> > > > > mymocha@

> > > > >

> > > > > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher

> risk

> > > of

> > > > > retethering? I thought I read that

> somewhere?

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> __________________________________________________

> > >

[Guest guest]

There are a number of different kinds of lipomas. There are even malignant

versions called liposarcomas. I would probably use the term come back and recur

interchangeably.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered

> cord/Lipo

>

>

> You read what is widely understood to be the case.

>

> Lipomas do not grow back because they are fat

> tissue,

> not " growing " tissue. I had my first surgery at

> 20. I

> asked if the lump would grow back and was told

> " Not

> unless you gain about 100 pounds " . My lipoma is

> right

> at the bottom of my back/top of my butt. I knew it

> was growing back because my pants were fitting

> funny

> again. I told the nsg before my second surgery

> that

> the lipoma grew back. He said no, the symptoms

> weren't from the lipoma growing back, but rather

> from

> scar tissue. He came to my bedside in the recovery

> room and said " Your lipoma grew back. " Well, no

> duh,

> do you think a woman doesn't know the shape of her

> butt??

>

> It isn't supposed to happen, but sometimes it

> does. I

> don't know that grow is exactly what it does or if

> it

> just attracts fat cells and increases in size that

> way. I know that my lipoma is again growing. I

> weigh

> 115 pounds. I weighed 135 when they removed the

> lipoma 8 years ago. I know it's weird and I know

> it

> isn't the norm, but it does happen sometimes. I

> just

> don't think it's sometimes enough for them to

> really

> pay attention to (which is a good thing).

>

>

>

> --- subub_98 wrote:

>

> > I see messages that talk about " lipoma can grow

> > back " . I dont

> > understand that. From what I have read and

> heard,

> > the lipoma is just

> > adipose tissue, just like the fat on your hips

> or

> > thighs. It is not a

> > tumor that keeps growing. It does not know where

> to

> > grow. If you get

> > fat, the size of the lipoma increases too. If

> you

> > get thin, the size

> > of the lipoma decreases. So, if you have a

> strand of

> > lipoma, and you

> > cut 2 inches off in the middle, I dont think it

> can

> > grow back

> > together, unless the person gets very fat and

> the

> > distance between two

> > edges is very small. Atleast this is what I have

> > heard over and over

> > again from neurosurgeons.

> >

> > Am I mistaken? Is there more to it?

> >

> > Abby.

> >

> >

> > >

> > > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> > especially if they don't

> > get all

> > > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the

> Scar

> > Tissue. And with the

> > > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> > >

> > > Me

> > > Nebraska, USA

> > > mymocha@...

> > >

> > > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk

> of

> > > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I suspect that the lipoma that the dermatologist sees on the surface of the skin

is different from the lipoma that the neurosurgeon sees in the spinal cord area.

In the skin, there is such a thing as a nevus lipomatosis. It is a collection

of normal fat cells in an abnormal distribution. When it is removed to does not

come back. That sounds more like what it occurs in the spinal cord.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

Hmm, interesting point. Now, I can truly say that I am totally

confused. I wonder if the spinal cord lipoma is similar to skin lipoma.

I searched google for " spinal cord lipoma grow back " , and came to this

article, which says: " Lipoma or lipomyelomeningocele causes tethering

due to fatty tissue connecting to the lower end of the spinal cord.

This produces tethering by the attachment of the fat to the

surrounding tissues of the back. It is important to recognize that the

fatty tissue in a lipoma is normal fat, not tumor tissue. It is normal

fat in an abnormal place. It will only grow in proportion to the

remainder of the fat in the body. In the surgical procedure, the fatty

tissue is disconnected from the attachment to the spinal cord and

removed, thus untethering the cord. "

http://neurosurgery4kids.net/tetheredspinalcord.htm

I also found another link, that pertains very well to our situation.

It talks about intra-spinal lipomas.

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext & pid=S0004-282X2001000100023

It says: " The main purpose of surgery for lipoma is not total removal

but decompression of the adjacent neural structures, since both types,

extramedullary and intramedullary lipomas, are closely involved with

the surrounding parenchyma and adjacent nerve roots. Subtotal removal

carries no higher risk of recurrence than total removal and total

removal has resulted in postoperative neurological dysfunction due to

disruption of spinal cord elements. "

It also says:

" Histologically, lipomas are an mixture of highly vascularized

lobulated fatty tissue separated by delicate connective tissue and

interposed in the neural tissue. All intraspinal lipoma cells also

have the same metabolic properties as normal adipocytes suggesting

that intraspinal lipomas are not lipomatous tumors but hamartomatous

lesions, capable of growth and regression and can be influenced by

diet and weight gain "

But ofcourse, then it says this :=(

" It should be emphasized that if the spinal cord lipomas are

asymptomatic they should be left alone. "

- Abby.

> >

> > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity, especially if they don't

> get all

> > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus the Scar Tissue. And

with the

> > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> >

> > Me

> > Nebraska, USA

> > mymocha@

> >

> > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher risk of

> > retethering? I thought I read that somewhere?

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Are you talking about the lipoma that you can see externally? How does

that translate to the lipoma in the spinal canal? My dd's lipoma is

deep inside her spinal canal, covered by dura. I am under the

impression that the only way of watching it is via an MRI.

-Abby.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > I'm thinking that could be a possiblity,

> > > > > especially if they don't

> > > > > get all

> > > > > > the Lipoma removed the first time, plus

> > the

> > > > Scar

> > > > > Tissue. And with the

> > > > > > possiblity that a Lipoma can grow back.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Me

> > > > > > Nebraska, USA

> > > > > > mymocha@

> > > > > >

> > > > > > but am I right that LMC's carry a higher

> > risk

> > > > of

> > > > > > retethering? I thought I read that

> > somewhere?

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > __________________________________________________

> > > >

[Guest guest]

Hi Ron..It sounds as if you are a MD? That is very helpful to have on this

site though your field is dermatology? Randee

[Guest guest]

I know there are many types of lipomas. I simply said

that a quick search brought up sites that only talked

about the subcutaneous type of lipoma, and since our

lipomas don't fit that " type " , those sites don't

really cover us.

I said " grow back " and " recur " , not come back and

recur. If most of a tumor is removed, and suddenly,

it's back to its original size, would that be

considered a recurrence? I always heard recurrence in

terms of something that was eradicated coming back.

Or something happening over and over again. So

perhaps the semantics are just confusing.

--- Chappler wrote:

> There are a number of different kinds of lipomas.

> There are even malignant versions called

> liposarcomas. I would probably use the term come

> back and recur interchangeably.

> Ron

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

My lipoma was large enough to deform my back end. Not

to be terribly graphic, where my butt crack should

have ended, there was a large lump and a hemangioma.

My butt crack is about two inches shorter than most

people's (sorry). They assumed the lump was caused by

the hemangioma, but they were wrong. The hemangioma

was cauterized with dry ice when I was very little

(can we just let me say a great big loud OUCH!), and

it faded away. The lump was still there. Before the

first removal, it stuck out from my body about two

inches. The lipoma is inside my spinal canal, but it

plugs up the spot where the hole in my spine is. Kind

of like sticking a washcloth in a drain.

When they removed it, the part of my butt that was the

lump went flat. When it grew back, it stuck out

again. They removed it again. It went flat. It is now

beginning to stick out again.

I have to guess that you can't see the spot where your

daughter's lipoma is? Mine is unmistakable. I think

on this list also had a lipoma that couldn't be

missed. I don't know if that's the norm or not.

--- subub_98 wrote:

> Are you talking about the lipoma that you can see

> externally? How does

> that translate to the lipoma in the spinal canal? My

> dd's lipoma is

> deep inside her spinal canal, covered by dura. I am

> under the

> impression that the only way of watching it is via

> an MRI.

>

> -Abby.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Most doctors would use the term grow back, come back, or recur to mean that a

tumor that seemed to be gone at one time is now not gone at all, but rather has

returned. Truly, cancers that recur have really persisted rather than recurred.

I agree that the terminology is not exact.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

I know there are many types of lipomas. I simply said

that a quick search brought up sites that only talked

about the subcutaneous type of lipoma, and since our

lipomas don't fit that " type " , those sites don't

really cover us.

I said " grow back " and " recur " , not come back and

recur. If most of a tumor is removed, and suddenly,

it's back to its original size, would that be

considered a recurrence? I always heard recurrence in

terms of something that was eradicated coming back.

Or something happening over and over again. So

perhaps the semantics are just confusing.

--- Chappler wrote:

> There are a number of different kinds of lipomas.

> There are even malignant versions called

> liposarcomas. I would probably use the term come

> back and recur interchangeably.

> Ron

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Your lipoma sounds like the type of lipoma that we see in dermatology. They

grow back, or recur, or return with irritating regularity. Sometimes they have

a capsule around them, if they do, that capsule has to be removed completely or

the lipoma will grow again. Under the microscope that tissue looks like normal

fat, but normal fat never behaves in this manner.

Ron

Re: rate of reocurring tethered cord/Lipo

My lipoma was large enough to deform my back end. Not

to be terribly graphic, where my butt crack should

have ended, there was a large lump and a hemangioma.

My butt crack is about two inches shorter than most

people's (sorry). They assumed the lump was caused by

the hemangioma, but they were wrong. The hemangioma

was cauterized with dry ice when I was very little

(can we just let me say a great big loud OUCH!), and

it faded away. The lump was still there. Before the

first removal, it stuck out from my body about two

inches. The lipoma is inside my spinal canal, but it

plugs up the spot where the hole in my spine is. Kind

of like sticking a washcloth in a drain.

When they removed it, the part of my butt that was the

lump went flat. When it grew back, it stuck out

again. They removed it again. It went flat. It is now

beginning to stick out again.

I have to guess that you can't see the spot where your

daughter's lipoma is? Mine is unmistakable. I think

on this list also had a lipoma that couldn't be

missed. I don't know if that's the norm or not.

--- subub_98 wrote:

> Are you talking about the lipoma that you can see

> externally? How does

> that translate to the lipoma in the spinal canal? My

> dd's lipoma is

> deep inside her spinal canal, covered by dura. I am

> under the

> impression that the only way of watching it is via

> an MRI.

>

> -Abby.

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Oh Lord, Ron...That is not the way to be special! Anyway, it is nice to

know you can give your input at least in terms of the " terms " we all throw

about...Randee