Young Boston Stroke Survivor Returning to Aventura to Thank
Medical Team for Life-Saving Care

AVENTURA, FL (April 30, 2010) - In May 2009, Steven and Tanya Hill, a young Boston-area couple, were enjoying a tropical vacation in Jamaica when 33-year-old Steven woke up not feeling well and complaining of pain in his is right arm. He suddenly collapsed and had a seizure. Paramedics were called, and he was rushed to a nearby local hospital.

With the onset of a second seizure a few short hours later, doctors realized that Steven's health was deteriorating fast and that they were not equipped to deal with such a major trauma. He was quickly transported to a larger hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica where he was given a CT scan. The scan showed that Steven's brain was bleeding heavily. Doctors knew he needed to be transported as soon as possible to a major hospital in the United States. At this point, the right side of Steven's body was already paralyzed.

Manon LePage, the International Liaison at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, received the call. She arranged for Steven to be transported to Aventura via med flight at midnight that same night. With his wife by his side the whole way, Steven quickly drifted into unconsciousness.

"We didn't realize how serious his condition was until the next morning, when doctors shared with us that Steven's case was 'extremely critical,' with every passing minute more precarious than the next," said Tanya.

Doctors discovered that Steven had suffered a massive stroke. Due in part to an inherited rare blood condition known as Protein C Deficiency, he had developed what is called a Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST). CVST is a rare syndrome in which the dural venous sinuses, the main veins which drain blood from the brain, are blocked by a blood clot. This meant that blood could not circulate through Steven's brain, and it could not drain back to his heart. The consequence was not only lack of brain oxygenation, but also accumulation of pressure within the brain that caused bleeding in the brain tissue as well. The combination of these events creates a type of stroke in which Steven's brain was both bleeding and clotting at the same time, which is called Venous Stroke.

The task at hand was not easy, as doctors needed to address several opposing issues at once. Steven's life depended on their ability to relieve the swelling of his brain, somehow stop the bleeding on his brain, dissolve or remove the occluding clot in the dural venous sinuses, and at the same time thin his blood in order to prevent further clotting.

Steven's care was now in the hands of a highly specialized team, including Jeffrey Levy, M.D., an intensive critical care specialist; Floyd Osterman, M.D., an interventional radiologist; and Santiago Figuereo, M.D., a board certified neurological surgeon and medical director of the Miami Neurological Institute (www.miamini.com). Dr. Levy's intensive treatment included thinning Steven's blood to prevent further clotting while Dr. Osterman used an interventional procedure to remove some of the clot in the dural sinuses through special catheters.

In spite of some success, the massive clots in Steven's veins prevented an adequate restoration of blood flow through his brain, which continued to swell. Dr. Figuereo then decided to take Steven to the operating room to perform a life-saving but highly risky procedure. A hemicraniectomy was performed to remove a piece of his skull so that his brain could swell without restriction. Then, Steven's sinuses were cut open to allow cleaning of the remaining clots and restoration of the blood flow. With the cerebral blood circulation restored, the sinuses were stitched closed and the piece of skull was saved into Steven's abdomen. Once the brain swelling subsided, his skull was reattached.

"To say that Steven's condition was critical is an understatement," said Dr. Figuereo. "Bleeding caused brain damage that affected Steven's speech and ability to move the right side of his body. Each day, though, he showed signs of recovery better than expected."

Steven continues to face a rigorous weekly regimen of physical, occupational and speech therapy as well as regular doctor's visits and ongoing medical procedures. Still, the outlook is bright, and his friends and family are grateful to have him around.

Steven's mother and sister also have Protein C Deficiency, and they intend on sharing Steven's story so others with the condition know what the risks are. On May 19, Steven and Tanya and Steven's parents will travel to Aventura to meet with the care team who helped save Steven's life.

"Steven does not remember his time in Florida, so this will give him a chance to thank all of the great people who saved his life," said Tanya.

Aventura Hospital and Medical Center is sponsoring a health fair for National Stroke Awareness Month on Thursday, May 20 at which Tanya will be sharing her experience with the South Florida community. During the Hill's reunion visit to Aventura, the hospital also host a special breakfast for Steven and will invite the entire team of doctors, nurses, aides, and everyone else who was involved in his care.

"We are all looking forward to seeing Steven WALK into the hospital in May," said Heather J. Rohan, CEO of Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, "Patients like Steven are the reason we are here. There is no better reward than to save a life and bring hope to patients and families."

For more information about Aventura Hospital and Medical Center and the upcoming Stroke Awareness Health Fair, call toll-free 1-888-256-7692 or visit www.aventurahospital.com.

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About Miami Neurological Institute

Located in Aventura, Fla., Miami Neurological Institute offers minimally invasive, state-of-the-art procedures for disorders of the brain and spine. The Institute's founder and medical director, Santiago Figuereo, M.D., is a board certified neurological surgeon who brings unique techniques to the region, including craniotomy with hair preservation, minimally invasive spinal discectomy, and minimally invasive endoscopic techniques for intracranial, skull base, and pituitary tumors. He is highly skilled in the surgical management of movement disorders, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and surgical procedures for epilepsy.

Prior to arriving in South Florida, Dr. Figuereo served as standing faculty and assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Neurosurgery Division Chief at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Dr. Figuereo studied general surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and his neurological surgery residency was completed at Loma Linda University Medical Center. He completed a neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Washington and a fellowship in functional neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit www.miamini.com or call (786) 623-2000.

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