Open letter to all patients affected by Arnold Chiari I – Syringomyelia – Scoliosis (from Dr. F. Crocè)

Published by ICSEB at 29 December, 2009

(We are here reproducing an open letter from Dr. Francesco Crocè, a patient and physician who underwent the Sectioning of the Filum Terminale procedure. You can also see his testimony on this website – section “Testimonials”)

Three years after the surgery of the Sectioning of the Filum Terminale carried out by the Institut Neurologic de Barcelona, directed by Dr. Royo Salvador, and reason for the creation of a foundation, AI.SAC.SI.SCO, which takes care of the “filumtized”, I have the moral obligation to inform all the affiliated, and moreover, all the patients affected by Arnold Chiari I, Syringomyelia and Scoliosis, of the clinical and radiological results of my personal experience as a patient/physician; hoping that this letter will help those who have confusing ideas about his matter.

Three years after the surgery, I can confirm with clinical and radiological certainty that the Sectioning of the Filum Terminale has worked to make disappear symptoms like: left interscapular pain, reduction of force in the upper right extremity, paresthesias in the lower extremities, nystagmus, nocturnal apneas and mental confusion.

The only symptom still present is a pain in my calves. None of the neurosurgeons consulted, including Dr. Royo, have been able to give me an adequate scientific explanation for this.

Regarding the radiological evidence, there has been a relocation of the cerebellar tonsils, the medullary cone and a reduction of the extent of the cervical syringomyelic cavity.

Despite such clinical and radiological evidence, I still encounter skepticism from fellow neurosurgeons, except for a few open minded, and this unfortunately explains the difficulties of the people who call me to ask for clarifications regarding these pathologies.

In fact, I would like to tell all patients that the Sectioning of the Filum Terminale by neurosurgical technique is done exclusively by Dr. Royo in Barcelona, and that in my experience, and not only mine, this procedure is completely free of risks.

I invite you to not trust those who maintain that they do the same surgery.

I also invite you emphatically to not allow that your skull gets opened – it is not useful and in the majority of the cases the pre-existing clinical situation even worsens.

Now then, I wonder, how it is possible to have doubts whether to have ones skull opened (with the implied risks: death, paralysis, etc.) and to have a simple cut at the coccyx level; unfortunately the explanation lies in what I mentioned before, my colleagues are still skeptical also in the view of clinical and radiological evidence and this is unfortunately transmitted to the patients.

Then there is the financial part, which might be the most unpleasant obstacle.

I hope that the creation of this association will be able to help people to solve this problem.

Please excuse me, but I have willingly had to be synthetic and avoided technical/scientific terms so that everyone can understand me.

I HOPE THAT THIS LETTER HELPS ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CONFUSING IDEAS.

I OWED THAT MUCH.

DR. FRANCESCO CROCÈ