Boy’s Trip to the ED Leads to
Life-Saving Travel to Barrow
When Jesse Cook’s parents took him to their local hospital in California for a stomach virus and arm pain, they had no idea of the complex medical disorder that was affecting their son. They only knew that Jesse was complaining of excruciating pain.
While in the Emergency Department, the 12-year-old lost feeling in his extremities and was paralyzed for nearly 15 hours. For the next six weeks Jesse would have limited function of his arm. Doctors determined an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — a rare neurological disorder that causes abnormal tangles of arteries and veins — was the cause.
Jesse and his family traveled from their Simi Valley home to Children’s Hospital Los Angles where a team of neurosurgeons detected the complexity of his AVM and referred him to Barrow. Jesse would be cared for by Robert Spetzler, MD , medical director of Barrow, and Felipe Albuquerque, MD , who are known for their expertise in treating AVMs.
Photo: Holly Wilson, Physical Therapy, works with
Jesse Cook to help him get back on his feet.
Drs. Spetzler and Albuquerque found that Jesse’s AVM was feeding blood into his spinal cord. Without surgery, Jesse had a high risk of becoming a quadriplegic, but the location and complexity of the AVM also made paralysis a risk of surgery. Jesse and his family moved forward with the procedure, and the Barrow team was able to completely remove Jesse’s malformation without causing paralysis.
“Jesse’s AVM was very rare and was one of the most difficult cases,” says Dr. Spetzler. “I’m pleased that his surgery was very successful and his prognosis is excellent.”
Jesse is now making a full recovery. While he may never be able to play football again, he will be able to pursue his dreams of becoming a sports attorney.
“We were told by so many people how risky my surgery would be that I was shocked when I woke up after surgery and learned that I didn’t have any bad deficits,” says Jesse. “I’m very thankful.”
Barrow Endovascular Neurosurgery | Home
