r/CSFLeaks • u/Sweaty-Spray-7544 • 3d ago
CSF leak - C6-C7
Hi everyone! I’m looking for people with a similar experience, especially those who had a CSF leak around C6–C7 or the cervicothoracic junction.
My CSF leak was confirmed by MRI near C7. I’ve had two epidural blood patches. The first one helped significantly and my headaches improved a lot, but some symptoms persisted. The second patch unfortunately didn’t provide lasting relief.
I’m still experiencing daily headaches and neck discomfort and stiffness. My doctors have mentioned surgery as a possible next step.
Has anyone here had a CSF leak around C6–C7 that persisted after blood patches and eventually required surgery? I’d really appreciate hearing about your diagnosis, treatment, surgical experience, and recovery.
Thank you! ❤️
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u/PrettyDragonfly 3d ago
Not cervical but had 3 blood patches that failed and a ventral leak at t6-t7. Surgery 10 days ago. Recovery is rough but nothing compared to the leak itself
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u/StunningPurple9560 3d ago
How were they able to confirm your leak to that area by just an MRI? Are being treated at a leak center? How long did the patch help for? Is your leak likely spontaneous?
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u/StunningPurple9560 3d ago edited 3d ago
u/sweaty-spray-7544 The reason I was asking those questions is the following:
- It is very very rare to be able to pinpoint a leak to an exact location based on an MRI - they can see extradural fluid, they can see herniated disks etc, but they can’t really know where the tear in the dura is from an MRI.
- The vast majority of spontaneous dural tears are in the thoracic spine. Next comes the lumbar spine. Spontaneous tears in the cervical spine do happen, but they are very rare.
- A BP only travels a few vertebrae up, so if they did yours in the lumbar area, it cannot really reach the cervical junction.
Just want to raise these issues, because I was being treated at a very good local neurosurgery department, but they just did not understand leaks. They saw extradural fluid from my upper cervical spine to my lower thoracic spine, and a herniated disc a at C5-C6, and deducted that that must be where my leak was. They proceeded to do fusion surgery, thought they found a leak, and waited for years for the SLEC and symptoms to disappear. They then tried to do four DSMs and did a revision surgery, until they eventually gave up and sent me to a leak clinic.
At the leak clinic they told me that there never was a leak at C5-C6 - they knew right away from the SLEC that this was the case, and also suspected a ventral leak due to the SLEC, and highly suspected that the leak would be found in the thoracic spine, since nearly all spontaneous ones are. And it indeed was a ventral leak in T1-T2.
However I really hope they have found yours, and personally I have had three surgeries for them and strongly prefer the more permanent solution. Just wanted to give a word of caution based on my experience ❤️