Routine Hearing Exam Leads to Frightening Diagnosis and Brain Surgery for Tallahassee-area Fourth Grader
For a child, hearing and speech are essential tools for learning, playing and developing social skills. Lisa Hamilton observed that her eight-year-old son, Mason Hamilton-Tilson, was having difficulty hearing and experiencing symptoms of hearing loss. Concerned, she took Mason for a consultation with Marie Becker, MD, FACS, an otolaryngologist at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Tallahassee Ear, Nose and Throat.
Dr. Becker consulted with Matthew Lawson, MD, FAANS, a neurosurgeon with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Tallahassee Neurological Clinic. The doctors ordered an MRI, which confirmed Mason had an arachnoid cyst that was causing hearing loss. Arachnoid cysts are pockets in the clear, thin covering of the brain called the arachnoid. The imaging test showed the cyst was causing compression of the brain stem and needed to be removed surgically. Hamilton was terrified of what that meant for Mason’s health and wellbeing.
“Arachnoid cysts are fairly common, but they are almost always asymptomatic. Most of the time they require no treatment,” said Dr. Lawson. “In this case, the cyst was so large it was causing neurologic symptoms and hearing loss, which is quite rare. Because this is a rare problem in a child, I felt that it was best to involve a pediatric neurosurgeon with Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville in Mason's care.”
Dr. Lawson consulted with Alexandra Beier, DO, pediatric neurosurgeon at UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville who practices at Wolfson Children’s. While Tallahassee Memorial’s neurosurgeons treat malformations and blood vessel abnormalities of the brain, treating children with such conditions often requires the collaboration and expertise of surgeons at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
“We have an outstanding relationship with the neurosurgeons at Wolfson Children's,” Dr. Lawson said. “This relationship is critical, and it allows us to offer exceptional care for children with pediatric neurosurgical problems here in Tallahassee. We can easily collaborate on cases to make sure children in our community get prompt pediatric neurosurgical care when it is needed.”
Dr. Beier performed an arachnoid cyst fenestration on Mason. During the procedure, Dr. Beier opened the skull to gain access to the cyst, and then opened the cyst to release pressure and allow it to drain. Following the surgery, Mason spent five days on the neuroscience unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville before returning home to Tallahassee.
“Everyone we encountered at Wolfson Children’s Hospital was nothing short of amazing,” Hamilton said. “It is hands down one of the best hospitals, and they are all about the kids. Every single one of Mason’s nurses made sure he was taken care of. My son still talks about his stay there to this day. Everyone we have encountered has gone above and beyond for us.”
Mason, now 10, has received follow-up care with Dr. Lawson and his colleagues at Tallahassee Memorial and has occasional check-ups at the Stys Neuroscience Institute at Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville. A year later, diagnostic imaging confirms there has been no recurrence of the arachnoid cyst and he passed his latest hearing test with flying colors.
“Frequently, children have procedures in Jacksonville and need routine follow-up appointments and postoperative care,” Dr. Lawson said. “Whenever possible, we provide this in our Tallahassee office so patients and families don't have to travel several hours for a postoperative visit. We’re working to roll out telemedicine access to the Wolfson pediatric neurosurgeons to help streamline the process and bring the doctor in Jacksonville to the patient's visit, so to speak.”
Whether a child has just received a diagnosis of a neurological disorder or needs ongoing care for his or her condition, the experts at Wolfson Children’s Hospital's Stys Neuroscience Institute provide early diagnosis, intervention and treatment, and ongoing care for children with neurological conditions. The Stys Neuroscience Institute is a collaboration between Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, and the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, plus other healthcare institutions, that brings together a multispecialty team to help children with brain, spine, skull-base and other neurological conditions. Recently, Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville was ranked among the 50 Best Children’s Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for its programs to treat cancer and complex neurologic disorders.
Within the Stys Neuroscience Institute, there are several multidisciplinary centers specializing in specific types of neurological conditions. This brings together the expertise every child and family deserves when faced with a life-changing diagnosis. The Institute’s disease-specific, patient-centered approach is designed to take a child from diagnosis and second opinion to personalized treatment and ongoing therapy or rehabilitation.
Services provided at Wolfson Children’s Hospital are provided primarily by pediatric physician specialists with Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, and the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.
