Sedated MRI's

rosesandpeonies

Can someone walk me through what is going to happen?  Was your child intubated (sp?)? 

My daughter has to have one because she might have tethered cord.  She is going to the children's hospital but of course I am still worried. 

Any advice?

 TIA

Lil Kate

It was fairly easy (relatively speaking).  We got there and they gave ds an IV.  We waited and then they brought us down to the mri room.  I was able to be in with him as they put him to sleep.  They used ketamine because he is allergic to soy.  If they use this on your daughter be prepared they look pretty scary when they fall asleep and wake up.  They seem catatonic and have their eyes open.  The doctor said this is not the typical medicine they use but he had an allergy to the other one.  When it was over (about 20 minutes) we were brought back up to recovery and we waited there about an hour until he was fully alert and they took out the IV.  If she does not have ketamine I think they wake up faster because the ketamine is much stronger.  Aside from looking scary it went really smoothly and we were in and out pretty quickly.  Good luck..oh he was not intubated...they just used oxygen.  Hope all goes well. Keep us updated.

Mom2Cinderella

My DD had an MRI at Childrens in Philly about 2 years ago.  It wasn't that bad.  The nurses were great with her.  I don't remember all of the details, but they gave her a little gown and she was ultimately given "giggle juice".  I don't remember the order of the IV, etc but she was put under and we were told to go walk around and they would call us when they were all done.  The MRI was actually faster than they told us to expect and she was up before we knew it.  She had a little trouble coming out of the anesthesia as far as her temperment-She was cranky or irritable.  They said that is normal, sometimes they just let them stay out longer to "sleep it off" or something on those lines. 

BTW-our DD had the MRI of her spine because she has congenital scoliosis and they were looking for a tethered cord as well.  By the time we got home from the hospital, the doctor had already called to tell us everything looked good.  Good luck!

Assembly_Reqd

Honestly, the hardest part is if you go back with her when she is being sedated. They will do the gas mask first and it smells bad so she may cry and they are holding the mask over their face so it is scary. Just make sure she can see you and hear your voice. I get all teary thinking about watching Nate fall asleep. It is heart breaking.

After she falls asleep they will then place the I.V. so she will not feel the prick. The I.V is placed a a precaution and not really used unless needed for an emergency. We did an MRI of the head and spine and the spine part took about 45 minutes. Good Luck.

realisticdreams

rosesandpeonies:

Can someone walk me through what is going to happen?  Was your child intubated (sp?)? 

My daughter has to have one because she might have tethered cord.  She is going to the children's hospital but of course I am still worried. 

Any advice?

 TIA

Tethered cord mommy here!

All of our MRI's have been at different hospitals with different protocols. Sometimes they let you come back when they put them to sleep and sometimes they don't.

What are you DD's symptoms?  I want to stress to you the importance of the spinal MRI being in a prone AND supine view.  We had a normal MRI in supine view which revealed nothing, 2nd opinion and months later, we had a repeat which the insurance wouldn't cover & revealed that she did have a tethered cord.  

I would see if that's not what is scheduled if you can have it changed in order to have 100% certainty.  As many as 40% of people have normal supine view but truly have a tethered cord.  

That being said, if you have any questions, we just had our surgery in July so it's all fresh in my head.  

What state are you in?  When is your MRI?

Oh, as for step by step they either take her back and do everything, or let you watch while they put the mask on (which freaked DH out because she wasn't hooked up to heart monitors yet) and they usually don't put in IV's until they are asleep.  They wont' put in a breathing tube UNLESS they are flipping her back to belly (supine/prone).  She probably will be groggy when she wakes up and not able to walk/slur words if she talks.

Good Luck, my email is Realisticdreams424@hotmail.com if you have more questions. 

rosesandpeonies

realisticdreams:

rosesandpeonies:

Can someone walk me through what is going to happen?  Was your child intubated (sp?)? 

My daughter has to have one because she might have tethered cord.  She is going to the children's hospital but of course I am still worried. 

Any advice?

 TIA

Tethered cord mommy here!

All of our MRI's have been at different hospitals with different protocols. Sometimes they let you come back when they put them to sleep and sometimes they don't.

What are you DD's symptoms?  I want to stress to you the importance of the spinal MRI being in a prone AND supine view.  We had a normal MRI in supine view which revealed nothing, 2nd opinion and months later, we had a repeat which the insurance wouldn't cover & revealed that she did have a tethered cord.  

I would see if that's not what is scheduled if you can have it changed in order to have 100% certainty.  As many as 40% of people have normal supine view but truly have a tethered cord.  

That being said, if you have any questions, we just had our surgery in July so it's all fresh in my head.  

What state are you in?  When is your MRI?

Oh, as for step by step they either take her back and do everything, or let you watch while they put the mask on (which freaked DH out because she wasn't hooked up to heart monitors yet) and they usually don't put in IV's until they are asleep.  They wont' put in a breathing tube UNLESS they are flipping her back to belly (supine/prone).  She probably will be groggy when she wakes up and not able to walk/slur words if she talks.

Good Luck, my email is Realisticdreams424@hotmail.com if you have more questions. 

I actually have read your blog!  I commented a few times when your daughter was going through the surgery.  So happy everything went well.  I was lurking over here back when I was told my daughter may have it

It is for my seven month old so right now all the symptoms were that she had a very shallow sacral dimple and hair in and around it.  Not even a lot.  So the pedi said to be sure he would just send her for an ultrasound.  Ultrasound came back inconclusive (this is when she was at the cut off around four months).  The radiologist saw something but he is not sure we he is seeing.

So we are now having to go for the MRI. 

To be honest I don't want to be there when she is put to sleep.  I hope they ask me to leave the room.  Is that bad?  Should I stay?  UGH.  I really think I may feel really bad anxiety seeing it happen and I don't want to show anything like that to her...not that she would really know I guess!

Some background.  I have an extremely deep sacral dimple.  Very, Very deep.  you can't see the bottom.  I have never had my back MRI'd so I have no clue if I even have and from the research I have done there hasn't been many studies done on the genetics associated with tethered cord.  So who the heck knows! Dr's all told me that I have to get myself MRI'd now.  Obviously I am somewhat ok though I just get bad back, leg and sciatica pain.  That's it.

As far as the supine view I will talk to her neurologist.  Thank you for the head's up!  

We are in South Florida and it is for a week from now. 

I took down your email.  Thank you

 

Thanks everyone else too for all of your information and support! 

realisticdreams

rosesandpeonies:

realisticdreams:

rosesandpeonies:

Can someone walk me through what is going to happen?  Was your child intubated (sp?)? 

My daughter has to have one because she might have tethered cord.  She is going to the children's hospital but of course I am still worried. 

Any advice?

 TIA

Tethered cord mommy here!

All of our MRI's have been at different hospitals with different protocols. Sometimes they let you come back when they put them to sleep and sometimes they don't.

What are you DD's symptoms?  I want to stress to you the importance of the spinal MRI being in a prone AND supine view.  We had a normal MRI in supine view which revealed nothing, 2nd opinion and months later, we had a repeat which the insurance wouldn't cover & revealed that she did have a tethered cord.  

I would see if that's not what is scheduled if you can have it changed in order to have 100% certainty.  As many as 40% of people have normal supine view but truly have a tethered cord.  

That being said, if you have any questions, we just had our surgery in July so it's all fresh in my head.  

What state are you in?  When is your MRI?

Oh, as for step by step they either take her back and do everything, or let you watch while they put the mask on (which freaked DH out because she wasn't hooked up to heart monitors yet) and they usually don't put in IV's until they are asleep.  They wont' put in a breathing tube UNLESS they are flipping her back to belly (supine/prone).  She probably will be groggy when she wakes up and not able to walk/slur words if she talks.

Good Luck, my email is Realisticdreams424@hotmail.com if you have more questions. 

I actually have read your blog!  I commented a few times when your daughter was going through the surgery.  So happy everything went well.  I was lurking over here back when I was told my daughter may have it

It is for my seven month old so right now all the symptoms were that she had a very shallow sacral dimple and hair in and around it.  Not even a lot.  So the pedi said to be sure he would just send her for an ultrasound.  Ultrasound came back inconclusive (this is when she was at the cut off around four months).  The radiologist saw something but he is not sure we he is seeing.

So we are now having to go for the MRI. 

To be honest I don't want to be there when she is put to sleep.  I hope they ask me to leave the room.  Is that bad?  Should I stay?  UGH.  I really think I may feel really bad anxiety seeing it happen and I don't want to show anything like that to her...not that she would really know I guess!

Some background.  I have an extremely deep sacral dimple.  Very, Very deep.  you can't see the bottom.  I have never had my back MRI'd so I have no clue if I even have and from the research I have done there hasn't been many studies done on the genetics associated with tethered cord.  So who the heck knows! Dr's all told me that I have to get myself MRI'd now.  Obviously I am somewhat ok though I just get bad back, leg and sciatica pain.  That's it.

As far as the supine view I will talk to her neurologist.  Thank you for the head's up!  

We are in South Florida and it is for a week from now. 

I took down your email.  Thank you

 

Thanks everyone else too for all of your information and support! 

No!  It's not bad that you don't want to be there, it was odd because she was out, but not hooked up yet and it just..seemed unsafe lol.  Our first experience at WVU they took her from me, and when they brought her back I had a bottle ready (i'd recommend this for that age) because as soon as she woke up she was hungry & mad.  

The worst part is taking the IV out after they are awake, they keep it in until discharge just as precautionary at most hospitals.  A children's hospital is different, that's where they let us stay with her at.  But at the local hospital they sent us up to the PACU and it was all rush rush scary scary.  

Every hospital has their own policy, just ask them to explain to you before hand whats going to happen when, where she's going after, and how soon she can be there.  

For instance, Children's let us be with her BEFORE she woke up, that works a lot better than her waking up half sedated and falling around a crib screaming.  

Dh has a deep sacral dimple also.  I know in adults it can present differently, but in kids it's progressive neurological damage.  Does she have any lower scoliosis at all?  It can be hard to see at this age, but take her clothes off, diaper if you can and sit her up and lean her forward and follow her spine down. Most dr's didn't even notice P's scoliosis and it was pretty bad.  

 

rosesandpeonies

realisticdreams:

rosesandpeonies:

realisticdreams:

rosesandpeonies:

Can someone walk me through what is going to happen?  Was your child intubated (sp?)? 

My daughter has to have one because she might have tethered cord.  She is going to the children's hospital but of course I am still worried. 

Any advice?

 TIA

Tethered cord mommy here!

All of our MRI's have been at different hospitals with different protocols. Sometimes they let you come back when they put them to sleep and sometimes they don't.

What are you DD's symptoms?  I want to stress to you the importance of the spinal MRI being in a prone AND supine view.  We had a normal MRI in supine view which revealed nothing, 2nd opinion and months later, we had a repeat which the insurance wouldn't cover & revealed that she did have a tethered cord.  

I would see if that's not what is scheduled if you can have it changed in order to have 100% certainty.  As many as 40% of people have normal supine view but truly have a tethered cord.  

That being said, if you have any questions, we just had our surgery in July so it's all fresh in my head.  

What state are you in?  When is your MRI?

Oh, as for step by step they either take her back and do everything, or let you watch while they put the mask on (which freaked DH out because she wasn't hooked up to heart monitors yet) and they usually don't put in IV's until they are asleep.  They wont' put in a breathing tube UNLESS they are flipping her back to belly (supine/prone).  She probably will be groggy when she wakes up and not able to walk/slur words if she talks.

Good Luck, my email is Realisticdreams424@hotmail.com if you have more questions. 

I actually have read your blog!  I commented a few times when your daughter was going through the surgery.  So happy everything went well.  I was lurking over here back when I was told my daughter may have it

It is for my seven month old so right now all the symptoms were that she had a very shallow sacral dimple and hair in and around it.  Not even a lot.  So the pedi said to be sure he would just send her for an ultrasound.  Ultrasound came back inconclusive (this is when she was at the cut off around four months).  The radiologist saw something but he is not sure we he is seeing.

So we are now having to go for the MRI. 

To be honest I don't want to be there when she is put to sleep.  I hope they ask me to leave the room.  Is that bad?  Should I stay?  UGH.  I really think I may feel really bad anxiety seeing it happen and I don't want to show anything like that to her...not that she would really know I guess!

Some background.  I have an extremely deep sacral dimple.  Very, Very deep.  you can't see the bottom.  I have never had my back MRI'd so I have no clue if I even have and from the research I have done there hasn't been many studies done on the genetics associated with tethered cord.  So who the heck knows! Dr's all told me that I have to get myself MRI'd now.  Obviously I am somewhat ok though I just get bad back, leg and sciatica pain.  That's it.

As far as the supine view I will talk to her neurologist.  Thank you for the head's up!  

We are in South Florida and it is for a week from now. 

I took down your email.  Thank you

 

Thanks everyone else too for all of your information and support! 

No!  It's not bad that you don't want to be there, it was odd because she was out, but not hooked up yet and it just..seemed unsafe lol.  Our first experience at WVU they took her from me, and when they brought her back I had a bottle ready (i'd recommend this for that age) because as soon as she woke up she was hungry & mad.  

The worst part is taking the IV out after they are awake, they keep it in until discharge just as precautionary at most hospitals.  A children's hospital is different, that's where they let us stay with her at.  But at the local hospital they sent us up to the PACU and it was all rush rush scary scary.  

Every hospital has their own policy, just ask them to explain to you before hand whats going to happen when, where she's going after, and how soon she can be there.  

For instance, Children's let us be with her BEFORE she woke up, that works a lot better than her waking up half sedated and falling around a crib screaming.  

Dh has a deep sacral dimple also.  I know in adults it can present differently, but in kids it's progressive neurological damage.  Does she have any lower scoliosis at all?  It can be hard to see at this age, but take her clothes off, diaper if you can and sit her up and lean her forward and follow her spine down. Most dr's didn't even notice P's scoliosis and it was pretty bad.  

 

 Ill look when she gets up from her nap.  I never really looked before.  

yeah they say I am lucky if I have it and haven't had any problems neurologically.  

I have been reading all of the research and it is definitely scary the things that can happen if you don't correct it.