Most of you have probably know about the incident invloving Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills. Intitally Doctors were saying there was little chance he would walk again, however earlier this week there was a glimmer of hope when Everett began moving his arms and legs. The disturbing images of the hit and a motionless player on the field had me sick to my stomach, so the news that he was moving his arms and legs was extremely good to hear.
The experiemental treatment Everett recevied has facinated me over the last couple of days. On the way to the hospital, in the ambulance, Everett’s was pumped with icy cold saline that went trough his veins to try to prevent further damage to the spinal cord.
The goal of the treatment is “to cool the tissue a few degrees to reduce its need for oxygen and to reduce its metabolic rate” and limit secondary damage from chemicals the body releases after the initial injury, said Dr. Elad Levy, a University of Buffalo neurosurgeon who treated Everett. On Monday, as Everett’s temperature began to rise, doctors decided to try cooling his body again, using a slightly different system. This time, a hollow tube called a catheter was inserted into the femoral vein in the leg near the groin, and cold saline was circulated through the veins but not put directly into the bloodstream.
In reading more about this type of treatment not a lot is known about it in regards to spinal cord injuries. Most of the study’s have been focused on cases relating to head injuries and stroke victoms, however the movement of Everett’s arms and legs has definitely warranted further study in regards to how it could help spinal cord injuries.
