Texas mom Yadira Rostro has tapeworms removed from her BRAIN

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Yadira Rostro of Garland began to suffer terrible headaches and even vision impairment starting nine months ago
Doctors initially believed Rostro's unusual CT scan revealed a tumor, but a more detail MRI revealed signs of tapeworms rarely seen in the brain
Surgeons at Methodist Dallas Medical Center removed a piece of Rostro's skull and removed eight eggs sacs from her brain using a microscope
Rostro believes she picked up the parasite during a visit to Mexico nearly two years ago

Published: 13:56 EST, 21 September 2015 | Updated: 20:06 EST, 21 September 2015

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A Texas mom's months of debilitating headaches led to a stomach-turning diagnosis: tapeworms were growing in her brain.

Yadira Rostro began to experience symptoms around nine months ago, but doctors who ordered CT scans believed she had a brain tumor when they saw the abnormality.

Meanwhile, Rostro's condition wasn't getting any better. 'Sometimes my sight was impaired... I could not see properly,' she said.

What started as headaches turned out to be something much worse for Yadira Rostro

Doctors discovered eight larval sacs in Rostro's brain after she complained of headaches

A more refined MRI scan revealed the truth: parasites had taken up residence at the base of the Garland mom's brain, a condition known as neurocysticercosis which begins after tapeworm eggs are consumed and make it to the brain via the bloodstream.

'We did an incision at the base of the skull removing part of her skull, splitting the cerebellum and right then could see the sacs at the base of the brain stem,' Rostro's neurosurgeon, Dr. Richard Meyrat, told the Houston Chronicle.

In a liquid-filled space at the base of Rostro's skull, Meyrat discovered larval sacs, which he was able to remove with the aid of microscopes.

'They looked a little bit like eggs, and they have a clear sac,' Meyrat told WFAA. 'And inside it, a small tapeworm.'

Yadira Rostro is recovering after surgery to remove tapeworm sacs from her brain

'IT SHOCKED ME!': TEXAS MOM'S SURGEON DETAILS HOW IT FELT TO DISCOVER SHE HAD TAPEWORMS IN HER BRAIN

Q. How did doctors determine the patient's headaches were caused by worm eggs? How did they discover the worm eggs?

A. In late August, the patient presented with severe, acute headaches with nausea and dizziness, so and we did a CT scan and saw obstructive hydrocephalus (which means spinal fluid is not flowing normally in the brain and something was plugging it up). Given her age (31) and her profile, I thought it might a tumor. Her blood pressure had gone up and heart rate down, so we put in an emergency catheter to relieve the pressure and she immediately felt better. Then we did an MRI which further delineated the masses better and increased our suspicion for neurocysticercosis or tapeworm infection. We consulted an Infectious Disease specialist at Methodist Dallas Medical Center who recommended surgical removal over medication. Once in surgery, we found between 6 and 8 sacs of larvae and removed them.

Q. Where exactly were the worm eggs?

A. In the fourth ventricle behind the brain stem.

Q. How did doctors remove them? What tissue was cut, was patient sedated, and how long did the operation take?

A. She was sedated face down and we did an incision at the base of the skull removing part of her skull, splitting the cerebellum, and right then could see the sacs at the base of the brain stem. Under a microscope we carefully removed all the sacs.

Q. How can tape worms get inside of a head anyway?

A. She told medical staff she visited in family in Mexico two years ago and believes she might have eaten contaminated food. The parasite traveled through her bloodstream and ended up in her brain instead of going through her gastrointestinal tract.

Q. Was this a shocking discovery for doctors, or run-of-mill work?

A. It shocked me; it was certainly out of the ordinary, something I had not seen in a very long time, but I'm glad we got to her in time and could save her life. The patient is doing very well and should not have any long-term effects from this.

Usually an intestinal parasite, hosts pick up tapeworms by eating food or drinking water contaminated by fecal matter that contains the parasite's eggs.

In Rostro's case, doctors believe she picked up the parasite during a vacation to Mexico she took nearly two years ago.

While it's not entirely clear if that's the case, Meyrat said his patient is just thankful to find relief after nearly a year of agony.

'I think shes just happy to be alive,' Meyrat said. 'Her headaches are gone, and she's feeling better.'