Aurora Brundu. Filum Disease, Neuro-Cranio-Vertebral Syndrome, Arnold-Chiari Syndrome Typ I, Idiopathische Syringomyelie, Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Published by ICSEB at 16 May, 2025

Date of surgery: 13/3/2025
Nachuntersuchung nach einem Monat: 9/4/2025

Good morning, my name is Aurora Brundu, I am 26 years old and I live in Alghero (Sardinia).

It all started in June 2021, while I was working in a restaurant.

I had some symptoms of loss of sensation in my right arm and hand, I got scared, and I wanted to have some tests done at the Emergency Room in Alghero. Then they referred me to Neurology (in Sassari) for a specialist visit, during which the doctor helped me recover mobility. For a while I felt fine, but over time I began to notice mild pain in the lumbosacral part of my back. In June 2024, I went back to work. After 15 days I started having problems with my back and legs locking up, and I thought something more serious was happening.

My colleagues, seeing me so affected, became alarmed and called an ambulance. Once I arrived at the Emergency Room in Alghero – after several checks and anti-pain treatment – they sent me again to Neurology in Sassari. After another check-up, the diagnosis was a psychological disorder. When I was discharged, I returned home without any improvement or treatment.
My mother, seeing me unwell, decided to take me to a consultation with the neurosurgeon in Nuoro, Dr. Gali, who decided to admit me to the San Francesco Hospital with the diagnosis of a neurological disorder. At the hospital, a psychiatry doctor ultimately refused to admit me because she did not think my problems were neurological or psychiatric, and prescribed me a cranial MRI with contrast.
In July, my symptoms returned and worsened, with spasticity and lack of stability in my legs. At this point, my mother insisted on getting me admitted under a specialist neurologist in Sassari. I was admitted to Neurology for 10 days and underwent CT scans and other complementary tests, without results. The final diagnosis was “psychological problems”.

We consulted a psychologist, who thought that this was not the problem. Nevertheless, I paid for 8 sessions and completed the therapeutic process.
In September the problem returned, the same routine, but this time they prescribed me a more complex MRI.
In October I went to a shop and while going up some stairs, I completely locked up, everything got worse, and I never recovered. This time I was advised to see a rehabilitation specialist at the Piras medical centre, Dr. Mario Piredda, who, during the consultations, decided to consult with his colleague, Neurologist Marinella D’Onofrio, who, when I arrived at her office, finally, after a thorough check-up, diagnosed me with Filum Terminale Disease (Arnold Chiari Syndrome I).
Finally, we reached a conclusion and decided to book a consultation at the Institut Chiari & Siringomielia & Escoliosis de Barcelona (ICSEB).
On 20th February 2025 I arrived at the clinic, Dr. Salca examined me with the mediator Gioia Luè, and after a thorough consultation, the doctor decided to schedule me for immediate surgery because the situation was not good.
On 12th March I had the preoperative assessment and on the 13th, the operation.After coming out of the operating theatre I immediately saw a huge improvement. My legs became warm again, the spasticity disappeared, and my vision improved. In the afternoon, after a check-up by Dr. Salca, together with Gioia, he let me stand up and walk with crutches, and since then, confirmed my improvement.After being discharged the next day, I decided to take my first steps without crutches, always under my parents’ supervision.

On 9th April I returned to the Institut for the one-month follow-up, during which I recovered 80% of my mobility.

At last, I am happy to be able to reclaim my life, which I had previously lost.

I wanted to sincerely thank the entire team at the CIMA Hospital and the ICSEB in Barcelona, who offered me professionalism, kindness, punctuality, and quality.

I can only thank Dr. Royo, whom I was lucky to meet in person, Gioia who was by my side, and Dr. Salca who operated on me.

Warm regards from me and from my mother and father.

Thank you very much!

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