Guest post from Kristopher T. Kimmell, MD
Neurosurgical Resident, University of Rochester Medical Center
Rochester, NY
May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the number one cause of disability in the United States. Neurosurgeons play an important role in the management of patients with all forms of stroke and are pioneering new treatments to prevent stroke from becoming a devastating condition. In honor of National Stroke Awareness Month, we recognize the efforts of one neurosurgeon to bring back one of his patients from a life-threatening stroke.
In 2008, Malcolm “Mack” Gibson, was diagnosed with a small growth pushing on his brainstem. Unfortunately, after an accident in 2014 he suffered a large hemorrhage from the growth. The brainstem is responsible for many of the critical basic bodily functions, such as heart rate and breathing, and is the major relay center of messages between the brain and the spinal cord and body. For many patients, a brainstem hemorrhage of this magnitude is a fatal event.
Mr. Gibson was under the care of Dr. Gavin Britz, chair of Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist Hospital, and a world-renown expert in cerebrovascular and tumor neurosurgery. Treatment of the hemorrhage required a pain-staking nine hour surgery to remove the tumor and relieve pressure on his brainstem. Although many patients after a stroke of this magnitude would remain in a vegetative state, Mack made a tremendous recovery.
Prior to his stroke, Mack was a real estate lawyer and an avid runner, competing in over 50 marathons. During his time in the hospital, Dr. Britz promised Mack that if he survived his brain surgery and recovered, he would run in the Houston Marathon with him. Last January, Dr. Britz followed through on his promise as the pair ran the marathon together, finishing the race just one second apart.
We salute Dr. Britz not only for his heroic efforts of going the extra mile for his stroke patients, but for advancing the care of all patients through innovating new treatments and increasing awareness of stroke syndromes.
To read more about this story, click here and here.
To read more about Dr. Britz and his research, click here.
To learn more about stroke and stroke prevention, click here and here.
