Medical Marvels: Ground-breaking neurosurgery for life-altering headaches

NEW YORK (WABC) -- WABC is taking you inside NewYork-Presbyterian for a look at some extraordinary stories that we call Medical Marvels. It's WABC's Emmy-nominated digital series exclusive to abc7NY.

Kelly Rolo had been suffering from torturous headaches, with weird symptoms where the left and right sides of her body would differ dramatically in temperature.

This mysterious case came to Dr. Guy McKhann at NewYork-Presbyterian. Kelly was diagnosed with an unusual form of hydrocephalus/Chiari malformation, where the skull is too small and it restricted the brain.

The doctors had seen nothing like this before and realized the problem was man-made, due to a surgery done when Kelly was an infant.

They embarked on a surgery that was the first of its kind, and now her prognosis is great.

Kelly ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon, dedicating it to her team at NewYork-Presbyterian. She is also running the TCS New York City Marathon.

Click here for more information on Dr. Guy McKhann, who is Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.