ISO post-stroke surgery info

[Aubergine]

anyone here who has a family member or friend who is a stroke victim? we are dealing with one, a 73-y-o wheelchair-bound woman, paralysed on her right side, and with some speech problems remaining, 12 years post-stroke. she has come up with the firm belief that she can get neurosurgery and regain her old self; e.g., walking, driving, etc.

after Ariel Sharon's stroke, there has been talk about treatment in the media, but in many hours of internet searching, i can't find any info other than a) experimental work and b) work done on persons immediately after the stroke.

does anyone know any different? TIA

suz

[blazedog]

Suz,

I believe the surgery is immediately post stroke to minimize the effects of the stroke etc. I am unaware of surgery that can restore function.

That said, why not consult the woman's neurosurgeon.

[Aubergine]

blaze, tx kiddo. that's my basic grasp of it, too, but this is causing a lot of grief and strife among us, because only some in the family believe anything i've researched and printed out. everything i read comes down to the "window of opportunity" immediately following stroke. but Julia is not a stupid woman, and we're genuinely trying to learn. i think i found a clue today, about doctors being able to do surgery on stroke victims that years ago was thought to be impossible, and i think this is what she latched onto and misunderstood, b/c that must be done immediately afterwards. hell's bells, there hasn't been much advance in spinal cord injury in the past 20+ years, and they are not dissimilar.

but, i'm not the one that's been debilitated for 12 years. we all strongly suspect she needs a major reality check, kinda like the Terry Schiavo case, but one never knows, maybe someone else has been through this and can tell us, it's not reality.

there is no neurosurgeon yet -- that's why i'm trying to learn anything i can, before we go to that step, b/c it means taking her to Phila., and she doesn't travel well.

suz

[moonbeam]

Suz,

I worked in adult rehab for 13 years before becoming a SAHM. There is no post stroke miracle surgery that your friend is looking for. 12 years post stroke is a long time, and there have undoubtably been muscular and postural changes due to abnormal muscle tone, as well as permanent changes to the brain. Some patients have benefitted from Botox injections into spastic muscles to help reduce increased tone, and sometimes with that (or other antispasticity drugs) and therapy an improvement in function can be made. (Whether 12 years post stroke is too long, I am not sure). However, one thing that might be beneficial to her is to have her re-evaluated by PT, OT and ST. They can assess whether she would benefit from some additional therapy.

[blazedog]

Well the dynamics of these kinds of things are pretty awful and you sound as though you are in a thankless position.

She must have a primary care physician though who would be able to tell her why the current surgical breakthroughs apply to preventing damage immediately afterwards -- of maybe not.

In any event, you need to withdraw as the dispenser of unhappy expertise.