In desperate need of Neurologist who specializes in...?

Question

Damage to brain stem.

My dearest friend took her husband into Methodist Hospital Sunday night with an upset stomach. After 3 surgeries, a bout with Septic Shock and defying odds to this point, a CT scan shows swelling or imflammation of the brain which caused damage to the stem. We now have an otherwise healthy 27 yr old man that doctors have given up hope on stating there is no activity in the brain.

Somewhere along the line, he was not getting enough oxygen to his brain which caused the swelling in the first place. I am no doctor, so please forgive any mistakes I may be making here. It just seems there must be someone, somewhere who specializes in this area. If you know of this person please have them contact the ICU unit of Methodist Hospital in Sacramento, CA 916-423-3000 Walser is the patient

Answer 1

This is not something that can be handled on YA.  Call the Department of Neurology at U. Cal San Francisco, and arrange a consultation with a Neurologist with expertise in the area.  

Sorry to say this, but it sounds as if the Consultation will be too late.  

The proper procedure is to tell the Attending Physician that you want a consultation with a Specialist from SF before anything else is done. He will make the contact.  

http://medschool.ucsf.edu/faculty/index....

Answer 2

First off I just wanted to say that I am very sorry to hear about your friends husband, this truly is tragic. I am not a doctor (yet) nor any sort of specialist but I have studied the brain and spinal chord at an advanced level. I know this is difficult to hear, but there is probably very little left for anyone to do. There may be some great doctors out there but there are no miracle workers. You have to realize that doctors especially neurologists aren't out looking for patients. The patients are referred to them from other doctors. I am certain that the ICU doctors tried every option they had, and they would not have given up so easily without good reason.

I don't know the details but from what you said (the lack of oxygen, loss of activity) the prospects of survival are very low. Even if he were to somehow stabilize the chances that he will ever return to any sort of normal functioning are a shot in the dark. While I understand it is hard to let go of hope, you would be doing yourself a service if you tried to accept the inevitable.

Again I am very sorry for your tragedy, my thoughts are with you.