After his last craniotomy, we could only figure out the size of the opening in his skull by feeling for his plates. This time, my son can feel some fairly large bumps on his head. He is only two weeks post-surgery, so there is still a fair amount of swelling, and we can’t really feel all of his skull. Does anyone have ridges on their skull after the operation? Do they hurt?
Chari had uneven spots where you could feel where the skull cuts were. They were swollen for awhile. And if you gently pushed on them initially, you could feel the skull parts move some. I don't think her's hurt.
It's been 14 yrs ago, and I suspect you can still feel the ridges, but I'll have to rub her head to see (if she'll let me, HA!)
Ron, KS
I’m a little over 3 years post op and my skull feels very strange. There are several deep indentations around the spot where they removed the piece of my skull. You can also feel some screws. It doesn’t ususally hurt, but it does if you press too hard in certain areas. And when my scalp gets rubbed across the area, it kind of “pops” (for lack of a better term). I would imagine my skull looks like the surface of the moon under all my hair! I didn’t really look closely before my hair came back, but I wish I would have!
Max just had a follow-up with his neurosurgeon. The lumps and bumps that I have been feeling are holes in his skull that are unlikely to ever heal over! I am a bit freaked out by that. While the holes are not very big, they are still holes in my son’s skull. And your skull is hard and solid to protect your brain!
Kris,
I’ve had 4 surgeries and besides the initial ‘clicking’ sounds (only the pt. can hear!) of the bone flap settling, I can feel multiple small holes, indents & screws/hardware. The surgery sites are sensitive & tender for quite some time.
Hope your son’s recovery is going well.
Patti
I have a ridge right behind my left ear and a deep indentation back there too, it feels weird and I swear some days the indentation feels deeper, but I think that’s just my brain playing tricks on me. Almost a year post-op and I still have numb spots too and a couple spots are still sore. I can also feel the screws too!
I have a pronounced ridge from a 2004 crani. It it uncomfortable in the winter when it gets really cold. I’m sure it’s my mind playing tricks on me but it almost feels like the cold comes from the inside out. The section near my right temple/ear still swells up on occasion and gets a squishy feeling. It doesn’t hurt much but the hubby jokes that my brain is looking for a way out.
It’s been about 6 years since my surgery and I can’t really feel anything in the way of the ridges on the bone, but I can feel the raised tissue of the scar on the scalp. Also, if I try hard enough to find them, I can feel the titanium bolts that were put in place to hold the skull flap until everything secured itself back into place.
Kris,
It’s been nearly two and a half years since my surgery…It’s interesting to read the comments here as I too heard the clicking sound kind of like a tick tock tick tock sound about one every second. Nearly drove me insane until the doc told me that it was the plates settling. I too have several craters on my skull…two of which are deep enough that I can balance a hard boiled egg on end in them. Interesting party trick that I have yet to use. Nope they don’t hurt at all. I am just self conscious every time I get a hair cut…which I did today.
Hello kris,
My surgery was 2 years ago. The scar is right along the left side of my head, and I have lots of ridges and a few pieces of bone chips (about the size of a green pea) near the end of the scar (bottom of left ear). As I have no memory of my time in hospital (almost 3 mtns), I can only say that when I got home, my head hurt, naturally, but through time, it gets better. I still have numbness in areas and sometimes I have to be careful when in bed, as if I move roughly, the scar area will hurt a little. My 2nd scar is on the top of my head at the front from drains, and this doesn’t bother me at all. All the best Kris.
omg, im 2 months post crani and i have nothing similar to the ppl above. the only thing similar actually was the crackin and popping noises of the settling. i have no bumps or holes, no ridges, nothing. my dr was awesome. i will say that i can feel the difference in the actual piece of skull that had been removed. it feels like it should b hollow under it but i seriously doubt that is the case. i cannot feel any hardware. um…as for my scar, it starts just right of the part in my hair, travels to the crown of my head and does a c curve down to the front of my ear. not very noticeable when considering its length. of course, my hair still has alot of growing to do. i think the incision and the stitches (disolvable) bothered me more than any part of my skull. the scabbing too, when that was starting to come up, it bothered me. o…also, my head is incredibly itchy along where the skull was cut but ill add that the incision of the scalp practically lines up with the incision of the skull.
I had a craniotomy three years ago and I have a very bumpy head! I have what feels like dips and ridges on on the entire right side of my head which is where I had the craniotomy. The ridges themselves do not hurt any more, it was very sore for a long time like any surgery would be I imagine. I have headaches at times, more than most folks I’m around and seems to be different depending on the weather, again like any old bone injury maybe. I tease and just call myself Humpty-Dumpty!