Health: Eagles Player Seizure Linked To Brain Condition
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mike Patterson has a tangling of blood vessels in his brain that will need treatment. Eagles team trainer Rick Burkholder says the Eagles are consulting with doctors at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Dr. Robert Rosenwasser, Chair of Neurological Surgery at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, treated Ted Zieminski, who had the same thing as Defensive Tackle Mike Patterson, an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM.
"An abnormal collection of blood vessels, essentially a short circuit between arteries and veins. And it's something a person is born with. It is not acquired," said Dr. Rosenwasser.
Ted, an electrician who returned to work in five weeks, has had a variety of treatments, including a less invasive embolization to shrink the AVM.
"We inject material, glue, other materials to close off part of these abnormal connections," said Dr. Rosenwasser.
Burkholder says that's one of the options being considered for Patterson, who collapsed and had a four minute seizure Wednesday morning.
"Same thing happened to me. This thing could hit you at any time. There's no warning it's coming on. It could just hit you," said Ted.
He had headaches, a primary symptom of an AVM, but some patients have no signs. The biggest risk is bleeding or a stroke.
Dr. Rosenwasser says with successful treatment, that can also include brain surgery and radiation, people with AVM's can usually resume normal activities in three months.
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"It's all dependent on the location. It's dependent on the size. It depends on what areas are involved with the AVM," said Dr. Rosenwasser.
Jefferson won't confirm or deny whether its doctors have been consulted about Mike Patterson, but the hospital treats more AVM's than any other facility in our area.
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Reported By Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3
