SAN FRANSICO, Calif- San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) provided a progress report on Bryan Stow, who is being treated for a severe traumatic brain injury.
"There have been lots of ups and downs for Bryan, which is not uncommon for patients with severe brain injury," said Dr. Geoff Manley, Chief of Neurosurgery, who is leading Stow's care team. "We are pleased to announce that he is showing significant improvement and his neurological exams are much better. His ability to follow commands and interact with family has increased greatly."
Stow was beaten on March 31 while he was at a Los Angels Dodgers game. After the beating, Stow had to undergo a life-saving surgical procedure to remove a piece of the skull to relieve pressure caused by brain swelling resulting from the beating.
While at SFGH doctors have tried to replace the missing skull cap with a custom prosthetic bone flap twice.
In mid-July, Dr. Manley replaced the skull fragment for the first time, but in that instance fluid quickly collected and was trapped underneath the fragment, resulting in a rapid decline in his neurological status. Within an hour, Mr. Stow was rushed to the operating room to remove the bone piece.
Doctors tried the procedure again on August 10. The hospital says that they continue to monitor him closely to determine whether he will require a shunt to permanently divert this fluid.
The Hospital says that Stow is awake and breathing on his own. He is following simple commands and beginning to interact with his family. The goal now is to place him in a rehabilitation facility as soon as he no longer requires acute hospital care.
