Walking Again: Rita's Story of Recovery After Minimally Invasive Brainstem Surgery

For years, Rita watched simple, everyday activities become increasingly difficult.

She relied on a cane to stay steady while walking. Her speech became jumbled. She experienced dizzy spells, painful electrical sensations across her face, and had trouble swallowing safely. Some days, her symptoms were so severe that she couldn't drive.

The cause was a growing pontine cyst, a rare fluid-filled lesion located within the brainstem—one of the most delicate and critical areas of the brain.

Seeking specialized care, Rita turned to the Columbia Neurosurgery Skull Base Center, where Guy M. McKhann II, MD, and Raymond Sekula, MD, developed a personalized treatment plan using a minimally invasive surgical approach designed to safely reach the cyst while minimizing disruption to the surrounding brain tissue.

Treating a Rare Brainstem Condition

Because the brainstem controls essential functions such as movement, balance, speech, and swallowing, surgery in this region requires exceptional precision and expertise.

Using advanced minimally invasive skull base techniques, Drs. McKhann and Sekula were able to treat Rita's growing cyst while limiting the impact of surgery on surrounding structures.

The goal was not only to stop the cyst from causing further neurological problems but also to restore the quality of life she had gradually been losing.

A Remarkable Recovery

The results were almost immediate.

Less than 12 hours after surgery, Rita was already walking.

I was walking less than 12 hours after surgery," she recalled. "Before the surgery, I was walking with a cane so that I wouldn't fall.

Several of her most troubling symptoms improved right away.

I had problems speaking with jumbled speech, felt electrical zaps in my face, and felt a lot of dizziness," she said. "There were times when I couldn't drive for a week.

Before surgery, even swallowing had become a concern.

I had problems swallowing before, and now I can swallow safely without the concern of choking.

Confidence for the Future

Although pontine cysts can occasionally recur, Rita says she knows exactly where she would turn if she ever needed treatment again.

With the nature of a cyst, if it ever grows back again, I will be back here with Dr. McKhann and Dr. Sekula.

Her confidence in her care has inspired her to recommend Columbia Neurosurgery to others.

I have recommended my neighbors here. I would send my mother here, my sister here—anybody, absolutely.

Specialized Care for Complex Skull Base Disorders

The Columbia Neurosurgery Skull Base Center brings together nationally recognized neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, neurologists, and other specialists to care for patients with complex conditions affecting the brainstem and skull base. Through advanced minimally invasive techniques, the team is able to treat many challenging disorders while helping patients recover more quickly and return to the activities that matter most.