New Technology Saves Young Life—Anton La Rosa

Three days after the new catheters and brain monitors arrived at Mission Hospital, they were put to the test with the youngest patient to date, 18-month old Anton La Rosa.

Anton was run over by a vehicle and sustained multiple skull fractures and swelling to the brain.  His outcome was grim.  Pediatric neurosurgeon, William Loudon said “We thought the child was going to die.” His chance of recovery was at one percent.

Luckily, the staff at Mission Hospital was trained with the newest life-saving protocols established by the Adam Williams Initiative.  Two pediatric neurosurgeons, a pediatric emergency room physician, a pediatric anesthesiologist, and a general trauma surgeon worked to save Anton’s life.  They used the Licox® Brain Tissue Oxygen Monitoring System to raise Anton’s blood pressure to adult levels, where they monitored his levels and then brought them back to normal. 

The result?

After fourteen days, Anton was fully awake and even laughing.  One month, after his father, Brian La Rosa declared “He died in my arms that night,” his son, Anton was released from the hospital, fully alert and intellectually normal.  Anton can even feed himself—an accomplishment for any 18-month old, let alone one who sustained life-threatening brain trauma.

Long term physical therapy is needed to help with coordination issues, but even the doctors are happily optimistic for a full recovery.