Thread by @WesElyMD

1/🧵🎥 This story has a GOOD ENDING!

Look how my patient’s right leg flails around. This is INVOLUNTARY. He’s trying to stop but his brain is doing this against his will. It is “hemiballismus” & was caused by a fungus deep inside his brain. Read🧵
Link: bit.ly/3ixnWcx

2/ He was having these movements day & night. Unable to sleep. We admitted him to our ICU and realized the fungus Cryptococcus was causing a brain infection called meningitis. He had  no underlying immune diseases or other health problems.

Another 🎥, all shown w his permission

3/ His MRI showed 2 pockets of infection on both sides of his brain in a place called the basal ganglia, which controls movement. This area had to heal for him to rest and be at peace again.

#medtwitter

4/ We put him on meds to fight the fungus, but they didn’t work & these violent involuntary “choreiform” movements got worse. Despite heavy sedatives, we had to tie him down to reduce self-injury. As his doctor, I felt completely helpless, and it was hugely miserable for him.

5/ In medicine we live by teamwork. @kevingbuell & I called our #Neurosurgery team led by Dr. Peter Hedera & #neurologist @amybrownmd to devise a plan…

6/ Our pt underwent a procedure where surgeons inserted a heat-probe down through the skull into the area causing his right arm & leg to constantly whip & fly around. The probe killed the damaged brain tissue, allowing healing. Weeks later, he walked into clinic. It worked! 😀

7/fin
To me his story is true #medicine: a person is #suffering profoundly & our initial plan failed, which made us try harder, team up, re-analyze & take a chance to achieve success through science. Carry his #success & #hope into your next #COVID week.

& remember…
#VACCINATE