Brain Recovery after a Plane Crash: Treatment with Growth Hormone (GH) and Neurorehabilitation: A Case Report

What use of this is applicable to stroke recovery? We'll never know because we have NO stroke strategy or stroke leadership in any part of stroke.

Brain Recovery after a Plane Crash: Treatment with Growth Hormone (GH) and Neurorehabilitation: A Case Report

Jesús Devesa ^1,2,*, Gustavo Díaz-Getino ¹, Pablo Rey ¹, José García-Cancela ¹, Iria Loures ¹, Sonia Nogueiras ¹, Alba Hurtado de Mendoza ¹, Lucía Salgado ¹, Mónica González ¹, Tamara Pablos ¹ and Pablo Devesa ¹

¹

Scientific Direction Medical Centre Foltra, Teo 15886, Spain

²

Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela 15710, Spain

*

Correspondence: Tel.: +34-981-802-928; Fax: +34-981-807-650

Academic Editor: Katalin Prokai-Tatrai

Received: 28 November 2015 / Accepted: 16 December 2015 / Published: 21 December 2015

Abstract

: The aim of this study is to describe the results obtained after growth hormone (GH) treatment and neurorehabilitation in a young man that suffered a very grave traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a plane crash. Methods: Fifteen months after the accident, the patient was treated with GH, 1 mg/day, at three-month intervals, followed by one-month resting, together with daily neurorehabilitation. Blood analysis at admission showed that no pituitary deficits existed. At admission, the patient presented: spastic tetraplegia, dysarthria, dysphagia, very severe cognitive deficits and joint deformities. Computerized tomography scanners (CT-Scans) revealed the practical loss of the right brain hemisphere and important injuries in the left one. Clinical and blood analysis assessments were performed every three months for three years. Feet surgery was needed because of irreducible equinovarus. Results: Clinical and kinesitherapy assessments revealed a prompt improvement in cognitive functions, dysarthria and dysphagia disappeared and three years later the patient was able to live a practically normal life, walking alone and coming back to his studies. No adverse effects were observed during and after GH administration. Conclusions: These results, together with previous results from our group, indicate that GH treatment is safe and effective for helping neurorehabilitation in TBI patients, once the acute phase is resolved, regardless of whether or not they have GH-deficiency (GHD). 

 

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