Buffalo Bills' Kevin Everett’s miraculous recovery spurs spinal injury researchers

By Karyn Chenoweth Oct 2, 2007, 6:12 GMT

Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman throws a pass against the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois Sunday, 08 2006. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Buffalo Bills’ player Kevin Everett, 25, should be paralyzed, if not dead.

He lay motionless on the field after driving his helmet into an opposing player on Sept. 9. The next day his orthopedic surgeon called the injury "catastrophic" and said the chance of full recovery was not good.

Defying medical odds, Everett awoke and could move his limbs, and doctors say he will walk again.

Everett has been moved to a Houston rehabilitation center on Sept. 21.

What saved him was a process known as inducing hypothermia, which has been found effective in treating some serious conditions -- stroke, brain injuries and cardiac arrest.

Drastically lowering patients' temperature during surgery has made possible some difficult brain and heart operations as well.

Experts are guardedly optimistic about the events that led to Everett's recovery.
Factors that could have also influenced his miraculous recovery was the speed with which his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Andrew Cappuccino, used multiple techniques to stabilize Everett on the field.

In addition to the cold saline, Cappuccino administered a large intravenous dose of methylprednisolone, a steroid to limit inflammation and swelling, and performed decompression surgery to relieve pressure on Everett's spinal cord.

Whether it was the advantage of possessing strong neck muscles, a specialist doctor waiting on the sidelines, and waiting ambulance and EMT’s, the overwhelming response to Everett’s slow but steady recovery is one of optimism and renewed research into preventing spinal cord and brain injuries from being permanent conditions.

Several University studies purport that the faster the spinal cord is relieved of pressure after an injury, the better the recovery of movement.

The cooling of the injured spinal cord and brain are now believed to be essential to spinal cord injury recovery. The technique is still far from where it needs to be, but researchers are quickly refining and improving information for neurosurgeons and doctors to implement in treatment.

Hypothermia slows the metabolism, allowing cells to survive longer when deprived of oxygen. It limits the inflammation and toxic-chemical release that follow a spinal-cord injury, causing further damage.

Cold temperatures slow down and can halt body processes, allowing a coma-like state for the injured party to buy some time, and address the injured areas or aid in delicate operations such as open-heart or brain surgery.