Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Teenager declared brain-dead by FOUR doctors makes miracle recovery moments before life support machine was switched off after father plead for second opinion


  • Steven Thorpe awoke from 2-week coma after car crash that killed a man

  • His devastated parents were even asked to consider donating his organs

  • Doctors found signs of life only after his father begged them to recheck him

  • A teenager who was declared brain dead by four doctors made a ‘miracle’ recovery after his parents begged medics for a second opinion - moments before his life support was to be switched off.
    Doctors described Steven Thorpe as 'truly a unique case' after he awoke from a two-week coma following a multiple car crash that claimed the life of his schoolfriend.
    Steven, then 17, was traveling in a Citroen Saxo with pals Matthew Jones, 18, and Harry Dipper in the early hours of February 1 2008 when a stray horse ran into the path of the car ahead.
    Unable to dodge the beast, the car flipped in front of them and back-seat passenger Matthew was flung into the road in the pile up that ensued, which also included a black cab. He never recovered from his injuries.
    Steven, who is now 21, was placed in a chemically-induced coma and doctors said he would never recover - they even asked his devastated parents to consider donating his organs.
    But Steven’s father begged doctors to reconsider and even enlisted private GP Julia Piper to examine him again after being convinced that their son could recover.
    Doctors at University Hospital in Coventry, West Midlands, agreed to let a neurologist re-examine him and, astonishingly, he detected faint brain waves indicating Steven had a slim chance of making a recovery.
    NHS chiefs agreed to bring Steven out of his coma to see if he could survive on his own and he stunned medics by making an almost full recovery.
    Incredibly, just five weeks later Steven was discharged from hospital.
    Speaking about his amazing recovery for the first time, Steven, now aged 21 and a trainee accountant, said: 'My father believed I was still there.
    Steven with Dr Julia Piper who saved his life in Leicester. She made doctors take a second look at him before making the final decision to switch his life-support machine off

    'He expressed his views to Julia Piper and I think she listened very closely to what my dad had said.
    'My impression is maybe the hospital weren’t very happy that my father wanted a second opinion.
    'I think the doctors wanted to give me three days on the life support machine and the following day they said they wanted to turn it off.


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2134346/Teenager-declared-brain-dead-FOUR-doctors-makes-miracle-recovery-moments-life-support-machine-switched-mother-pleads-second-opinion.html#ixzz1sxdKLivY




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