Coach injured in Colombia

[berny]

Dr Young, i think you heard about a coach here in Colombia who was attacked by thiefs and received a shot in his spinal cord.
The injury is C3, the bullet damaged apparantely all the spinal cord, and right now he is in a vent.
Md´s here are pesimistic, but they don´t really know about SCI, i just want to know if theres a chance for him to get off the vent, i know that nobody knows that, but there been cases of people who spent weeks, even months with it, and then recovers the ability to breath?
We really concern about him, is quite famous here, a great person.

Thanks!

Berny.

[SCI-Nurse]

Berny, yes their are people who have incomplete injuries at C3 and who do recover the ability to breath on their own, although this is often a long slow recover and weaning from the ventilator can take months. Some people are also candidates for an implanted phrenic nerve stimulator (a type of FES breathing) but extensive tests and expertise are needed to determine this.

Is there any chance of getting this man to the USA for treatment and rehabilitation? It would be very expensive, and I am not sure what resources he would have. I don't know of any organizations that would pay for this within the USA. I hope you can find some help for him.

(KLD)

[berny]

thanks KLD, i think they can found resources for anything he needs, can you suggest wich treatments of places are better choices?
And when is safe to travel, he can with the vent?

Thank you very much!

Berny.

[SCI-Nurse]

I would recommend one of the Model SCI System Centers (http://www.ncddr.org/rpp/hf/hfdw/mscis/map.html) in the USA. For ventilator dependent people with SCI, I would check first on one of the following:

Shepard Center (Atlanta)

Craig Hospital (Denver)

Kessler Rehab Institute (New Jersey)

Rehab Institute of Chicago (Chicago)

TIRR (Houston, TX)

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehab Hospital (Los Angeles)

This care is very expensive, and private pay might require a large downpayment. He can travel with a ventilator, but would need to go by air ambulance at this point. All of these programs are used to getting patients from overseas and can help with arrangements for transfer.

You also might want to call the Help Line for the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (http://www.spinalcord.org) for assistance in getting contacts. You can reach them here: info@spinalcord.org

(KLD)

[berny]

Thank you very much!

Berny.