Neurologists see little sign of activity in Schiavo's brain

KRT Wire ^ | 3.23.05

[ambrose]

Posted on Wed, Mar. 23, 2005

Neurologists see little sign of activity in Schiavo's brain

BY BOB LAMENDOLA

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - Scans of Terri Schiavo's brain show that the great majority of her gray matter where thinking and feeling occur has died off and been replaced by watery fluid, with no chance of growing back, neurologists said.

About 70 to 90 percent of Schiavo's upper brain is gone, and there's also damage to her lower brain that controls instinctive functions like breathing and swallowing, said three Florida neurologists who viewed 12 of her CT "computed tomography" X-ray scans Tuesday and Wednesday.

"This is as severe brain damage as I've ever seen," said Dr. Leon Prockop, a professor and former chairman of neurology at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, upon viewing the scans.

[tomahawk]

Having competent neurologists reaching different conlusions suggests to me we wait before killing the patient, and reach a more definitive conclusion.

[jwalsh07]

I was talking about conventional MRI (hence the absence of the "f".)

Okie dokie Doc.

[robertpaulsen]

"Are you taking into account that she is on heavy duty morphine?"

Is she? I don't know why -- she can't feel any pain. And if she is on heavy duty morphine, then why call in a neurologist to make an assessment?

By the way, Dr. Cheshire's affidavit simply states that Terri is receiving "analgesic medication".

[Shethink13]

Personally, I would choose 'full code' and life support until damage is certified as irreversible.

I would recommend a slight addition - that the certification is done by a pro-life physician. Not one like that Cranford creep. Did you happen to see him on Hannity and Colmes the other night - I never knew anyone could blink their eyes so many times in a few minutes. Isn't eyeblinking a sign of false testimony?

I wish Sean would have asked him what percentage of court cases he's testified at were on the side of keeping the patient alive. I'm willing to bet it's zero.

[robertpaulsen]

15 years, tomahawk, is more than enough time to bring in the neurologists. This, now, is nothing more than delaying tactics.

When was the last time they brought in a medical group, 2003? Two by Michael, two by Terri's family and one by the judge?

Michael's two and the judge's voted PVS. The other two from Terri's family did not.

You think it would be different it we did that again? Please.

[ClaireSolt]

You might consider reading the Pope and Vatican on this subject. They seem to argue that as suicide is wrong then asking what someone's wishes are is also wrong. It would be wrong to choose death.

[armydoc]

What will a MRI show? I can't think on one instance where an MRI would help in this case. Please explain?

CT scans and MRI's are anatomic studies; they don't prove function or lack therof. An example of a functional study is Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which shows metabolic activity in tissue, but even this doesn't predict the ultimate function of the brain tissue. We know she is not brain-dead; she is breathing on her own. We don't need these high-tech studies. IIRC, there is documentation in her medical record by multiple caregivers that she has spoken intelligable words, and has interacted with caregivers. THAT is the only information you need to prove she is not in a PVS.

[Shortstop7]

Your comment is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever read on this forum. Altho' Freesky ranks right up there.

Cold and callous people disgust me. In case you were wondering, you fit the mold.

[El Gato]

I'm not sure what an MRI is, could someone nice explain please?

Basically they stick you in a strong magnetic field. Then they "pulse" another magnetic field to line up all the protons in the portion to be imaged. When the pulse goes away, the protons "wobble" in their spin. This generates electromagnetic waves that can be detected. They use the waves to make a map of the density of protons. Most of you, even your brain, is water, which has two protons. However other tissue may have even more protons (actually hydrogen nuclei, protons in other atoms don't behave quite the same way.) This generates a "density image" that is three dimensional. although it's usually presented as a series of "cuts" through whatever part they are looking at. I've had two MRI's. One on my back/spine, the other on my shoulder. Even with a weak signal, caused by my bulk, it was amazing what you could see in the spine image, I never saw the other one, but they tell me I have a calcium deposit. Had surgery on the back, but just physical therapy for the shoulder.

[tertiary01]

Gee I don't know, may be as a new poster to Free Republic, evidently to rehash all the pro euthanasia disinformation, you could give everyone your take on it. I took care of at least 20 PVS patients and hundreds like Terri. I believe that patients should not to conform to tests which can easily be fudged or faked, under or over exposed. This information had been discussed here thoroughly. But it really doesn't matter, because either one believes that the state can kill an innocent citizen or one doesn't. I believe to err on the side of life is always safe in the absence of a written advance directive.

Oh, and welcome to Free Republic. Be respectful, as the owner, Jim Robinson has been gracious enough to let us use his website for these discussions.

[lotusblos]

"Cold and callous people disgust me. In case you were wondering, you fit the mold."

Tell me Shortstop, is there anyone on this planet that cares what you think?

[Dave S]

Are you simply ignorant of what her scans show or do you like to propagate the medias imitation of Josef Goebells

What is that old saying that he who has to reach for the Nazi analogy has lost the argument?

[tertiary01]

We don't need these high-tech studies. IIRC, there is documentation in her medical record by multiple caregivers that she has spoken intelligable words, and has interacted with caregivers. THAT is the only information you need to prove she is not in a PVS.

Right on!!

[Dave S]

Yes -- this would've prevented all of this.

Not necessarily. Some of those yelling the loudest dont believe she has a moral right to choose to die.

[Dave S]

Au Contraire my dear! Swallow tests have everything to do with rehab. Eating normally is sort of a requirement for daily life, would you not agree. People who cannot swallow have difficult times, choke to death etc

Bull, testing to see if someone can swallow does not do anything to move that person toward having any kind of conscious life. The ability to keep from choking when someone slams some food down down your throat is not rehab if the party being fed doesnt know they are being fed.

[El Gato]

Like the 15 other doctors, have any of these doctors examined her?

The neurologist who says she's not in a PVS examined her within the last couple of weeks. Mostly a visual/observational exam, but he's at least seen her recently, as opposed to doctors looking at 5 or 6 year old CT scans, which he has seen as well.

[Dave S]

Jimmy Carter got a Nobel prize. They're worthless.

And Jimmy Carter actually won a Nobel prize while the good Dr. just had a lawyer friend write a nomination letter.

[Dave S]

Given what is at stake, I believe she should be re-examined by those who do not have an axe to grind

Do you really think at this late date you could find a neurologist that doesnt have an axe to grind or who would not be influenced by whom they were hired? It's kind of like believing that a judge nominee doesnt have any views on abortion, even if he doesnt have a paper trail.

[ClaireSolt]

With all this confusion about experts and evidence and which court does or does not do what, I find it very ironic that lawyers are pushing living wills at each and every opportunity. I, for one, believe that one of the lessons of knowing about this situation must be that lawyers and courts have made hard situations potential nightmares, and very expensive ones, at that.

I went through something very similar in 1970 when my young husband got a brain tumor. I thought he was gone, but my mother-in-law disagreed. I bowed out and let her take care of him. It never occurred to me to sue her insisting that I alone had rights. If the Supreme Court were to ask my opinion, I would say strike down all these laws and let families and doctors make these decisions.