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New Therapy Reverses Brain Damage in Toddler

New Therapy Reverses Brain Damage in Nearly Drowned Toddler A two-year-old girl who suffered severe brain damage after almost drowning in her family’s swimming pool has almost fully recovered, thanks to an innovative series of oxygen treatments. In February 2016, the Arkansas girl was found without a heartbeat after being submerged in cold water for almost 15 minutes, reports say. She was resuscitated at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, but could no longer speak, walk, or respond to voices. An MRI revealed deep gray matter injury and cerebral atrophy with gray and white matter loss.

The child’s family consulted Dr. Paul Harch, director of Hyperbaric Medicine at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine and an American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS) Diplomate in Emergency Medicine. Because hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which has been used for near-drowning victims, was not available near the family’s location, Dr. Harch and a team from the University of North Dakota began a bridging therapy. Fifty-five days after the near drowning, they began treating the child with normobaric oxygen – oxygen at sea-level pressure – for 45 minutes, twice a day through a nasal cannula. Not only did the patient became more alert and stop squirming, but she showed neurological improvement that included more hand and arm movement, eye tracking, and short-sequenced speech.

About a month later, the toddler was moved to New Orleans, where Dr. Harch began hyperbaric oxygen treatment in which the patient breathed pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber for 45 minutes a day, five days a week. After 39 sessions, her gait improved and her speech was assessed to be at a level better than before the accident. The young patient also demonstrated near-normal motor function, normal cognition, and improvements on nearly all neurological abnormality tests. At the end of the treatment, 162 days after the near-drowning, MRI scans showed mild residual injury to the patient’s brain, but also a near-complete reversal of cortical and white matter atrophy.

“The startling growth of tissue in this case occurred because we were able to intervene early in a growing child, before long-term tissue degeneration,” said Harch. “Although it’s impossible to conclude from this single case if the sequential application of normobaric oxygen then HBOT would be more effective than HBOT alone, in the absence of HBOT therapy, short-duration repetitive normobaric oxygen therapy may be an option until HBOT is available. Such low-risk medical treatment may have a profound effect on recovery of function in similar patients who are neurologically devastated by drowning.”

Dr. Harch exemplifies the commitment to patient care espoused by the ABPS. Our goal is to give physicians across the nation an opportunity to demonstrate similar dedication and proficiency by earning board certification. To learn more about the eligibility requirements associated with board certification through the ABPS, contact us today.

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Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine
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