> Home run ! continued
feeling knowing we helped somebody immediately .”
With the mass gone , the heart moved naturally to its normal position . “ He regained all his left lung function , and probably 50 percent of his right lung function that had been lost by having the heart being displaced there ,” says Dr . Smythe . “ We had hit a home run .”
Life after a Home Run Three weeks following surgery , Mr . Trevino left the hospital — without the need for an oxygen tank . In the subsequent months , his chest X-rays continued to improve , as well as his quality of life . “ He no longer needs a wheelchair or oxygen , and is more mobile than he has been in years ,” Dr . Smythe says . “ The bony tumor that was compressing his lung was threatening his life , like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head . Any minor lung infection could have killed him . That sword has been removed .”
Angelita Trevino marvels at her son ’ s transformation . “ The doctors and tech - nology now are a lot different than when he was first diagnosed ,” she says . “ Back then , they really didn ’ t know what the disease was or how to treat it .”
The Scott & White specialists are grateful as well . “ We are very fortunate here at Scott & White to have a team of surgeons who practice in this area and have a great deal of experience with abnormal , extensive and unusual surgical problems in the chest ,” says Dr . Smythe . “ Philanthropy supports the programs that allow me to hire the surgeons who can do procedures like this . The best trained and the most talented want to work where the facilities are excellent , the equipment and technology are cutting edge and the research is something they too can participate in .
“ This institution grew out of the work of two pioneering Texas surgeons , who in their own day were pushing the frontier to improve patient care ,” says Dr . Smythe . “ We like to think that we carry that spirit into this century as well .” ■
> Know More About Polyostotic Fibrous Dysplasia
What is polyostotic fibrous dysplasia ?
Fibrous dysplasia ( FD ) is an uncommon bone disease characterized by areas of abnormal growth or lesions that can affect any bone in the body . The majority ( about 70 %) of people with FD have only one bone site involved , a condition called monostotic FD . When FD is in more than one bone it is called polyostotic FD .
What is the treatment ?
There is no known cure , but there are treatments , including surgery , for the various symptoms associated with FD .
Who is at risk ?
FD occurs in males and females and in people of all races and from all parts of the world . It is caused by a defective gene in the cells that form bone . The defect is neither inherited from the person ’ s parents , nor passed on to the person ’ s children .
Resources : Fibrous Dysplasia Foundation | www . fibrousdysplasia . org
Craniofacial and Skeletal Diseases Branch of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health | http :// csdb . nidr . nih . gov / frame _ clinical _ bkg . htm
26 Catalyst Summer 08