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American Morning

Reeve's Operation

Aired March 13, 2003 - 08:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is a developing story regarding the actor Christopher Reeve. You might remember eight years ago a tragic fall from a horse, a riding accident, left that man paralyzed. Never giving up the possibility that he would walk again. Now, we're getting word that he might be able, based on a new procedure, to breathe on his own. To this date, we're told, he has only breathed with a respirator.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is tracking this for us in Atlanta.

Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Yes, really interesting story. Certainly we've been following the story of Christopher Reeve for quite sometime back in 1995 when he had that injury. He was told he probably would not be able to move or feel anything below his neck, suffering a neck fracture at that point.

In November of 2000, we started to hear reports that maybe he was feeling some wiggling in his toes and being able to lift himself up with some assistance. Certainly some improvements.

What we're hearing now, Bill, sort of the story of a very interesting procedure. A procedure that's been around for quite sometime. It's known as diaphragm pacing. And I have this model here, and I want to give you an example of what it is.

First of all, again, Reeve actually broke his neck up here and then had a tracheotomy placed here, because his lungs were not working on their own, were not receiving the blood -- the nerve stimulation on their own, so he's been on a ventilator for quite sometime. With this diaphragm pacing, there is a muscle located underneath the lungs here, and electrodes are placed into that muscle, the diaphragm, to actually allow it to contract and expand again, instead of letting the lungs do that alone.

With the respirator, the lungs are contracting and expanding. With this new technique, the diaphragm is actually contracting and expanding, thus obviating the need for a ventilator, and that's what we're hearing about, Bill. This is the procedure. It's been done only three times in this particular way, minimally invasive, just through four small incisions on his abdomen, so certainly something that is pretty new, but it looks like it's meeting with some degree of success.

It has been done open with a big operation in the past with moderate success, but now this new minimally invasive operation, Reeve is the just third person to have it. He had it done 10 days ago, have to sort of how it pans out for him -- Bill.

HEMMER: I mentioned that he has not been breathing without a respirator. For periods of time anyway, he's been able to take the respirator off and practice or even get better at and extend his amount of time. Is this saying now, that if it's successful, that he will not need the respirator ever again if it works?

GUPTA: Yes. First thing you said is true as well. He was able to breathe for short periods of time without the ventilator. Without the respirator, because he was actually able to train some of his muscles to take over some of that breathing function. But that was not using his diaphragm.

The second part of your question, it is possible with this new technique, with the diaphragm itself being stimulated electrically that he may not need the respirator again.

A couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, the diaphragm is doing the work now instead of the lungs contracting and expanding. That is a good thing. The second thing is that if the -- it's a muscle. If the diaphragm is being stimulated and starting would work again, it is possible, but not known at this time, but possible the diaphragm may need less and less of the electrical stimulation and be able to take over some of that function itself naturally. That would be the ideal. That is what everyone is striving for. It is hard to know whether or not that will actually happen.

But you know, pretty exciting, not being able to need this tube in your throat anymore, you'll be able to talk more normally, be able to smell more normally, all of these sorts of things. That's immediate. That's no -- Bill.

HEMMER: So as you say, fingers crossed for him. He is a guy who has not given up during any time over the past eight years.

Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired March 13, 2003 - 08:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There is a developing story regarding the actor Christopher Reeve. You might remember eight years ago a tragic fall from a horse, a riding accident, left that man paralyzed. Never giving up the possibility that he would walk again. Now, we're getting word that he might be able, based on a new procedure, to breathe on his own. To this date, we're told, he has only breathed with a respirator.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is tracking this for us in Atlanta.

Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Yes, really interesting story. Certainly we've been following the story of Christopher Reeve for quite sometime back in 1995 when he had that injury. He was told he probably would not be able to move or feel anything below his neck, suffering a neck fracture at that point.

In November of 2000, we started to hear reports that maybe he was feeling some wiggling in his toes and being able to lift himself up with some assistance. Certainly some improvements.

What we're hearing now, Bill, sort of the story of a very interesting procedure. A procedure that's been around for quite sometime. It's known as diaphragm pacing. And I have this model here, and I want to give you an example of what it is.

First of all, again, Reeve actually broke his neck up here and then had a tracheotomy placed here, because his lungs were not working on their own, were not receiving the blood -- the nerve stimulation on their own, so he's been on a ventilator for quite sometime. With this diaphragm pacing, there is a muscle located underneath the lungs here, and electrodes are placed into that muscle, the diaphragm, to actually allow it to contract and expand again, instead of letting the lungs do that alone.

With the respirator, the lungs are contracting and expanding. With this new technique, the diaphragm is actually contracting and expanding, thus obviating the need for a ventilator, and that's what we're hearing about, Bill. This is the procedure. It's been done only three times in this particular way, minimally invasive, just through four small incisions on his abdomen, so certainly something that is pretty new, but it looks like it's meeting with some degree of success.

It has been done open with a big operation in the past with moderate success, but now this new minimally invasive operation, Reeve is the just third person to have it. He had it done 10 days ago, have to sort of how it pans out for him -- Bill.

HEMMER: I mentioned that he has not been breathing without a respirator. For periods of time anyway, he's been able to take the respirator off and practice or even get better at and extend his amount of time. Is this saying now, that if it's successful, that he will not need the respirator ever again if it works?

GUPTA: Yes. First thing you said is true as well. He was able to breathe for short periods of time without the ventilator. Without the respirator, because he was actually able to train some of his muscles to take over some of that breathing function. But that was not using his diaphragm.

The second part of your question, it is possible with this new technique, with the diaphragm itself being stimulated electrically that he may not need the respirator again.

A couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, the diaphragm is doing the work now instead of the lungs contracting and expanding. That is a good thing. The second thing is that if the -- it's a muscle. If the diaphragm is being stimulated and starting would work again, it is possible, but not known at this time, but possible the diaphragm may need less and less of the electrical stimulation and be able to take over some of that function itself naturally. That would be the ideal. That is what everyone is striving for. It is hard to know whether or not that will actually happen.

But you know, pretty exciting, not being able to need this tube in your throat anymore, you'll be able to talk more normally, be able to smell more normally, all of these sorts of things. That's immediate. That's no -- Bill.

HEMMER: So as you say, fingers crossed for him. He is a guy who has not given up during any time over the past eight years.

Thank you, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com