Crash Victim Ends Up with Rare Condition called Dysautonomia

Personal Injury Law – Local

Los Angeles – A physician who got involved in a crash with her three-year old daughter on the Pacific Coast Highway survived the car accident three years ago. But now she is suffering from a rare condition called dysautonomia, apparently caused by severe head trauma or infection from the accident.

Now she walks with a cane, assisted by two caretakers, because she feels very weak.

Before the accident, Margaret Ferrante worked as an anesthesiologist and a critical-care specialist. After the accident, she thought she was suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress.

But after several treatments and hospitalization, she was finally diagnosed by a cardiologist to be suffering from a rare condition called dysautonomia.

David Cannom, the cardiologist from Good Samaritan Hospital who diagnosed Ferrante said: "First off the patient will have blackout spells, synchopy. They black out they do so because their blood pressure drops precipitously".

The rare condition is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system which regulates unconscious functions such as breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. The doctor found that Ferrante's blood was not circulating, which explains why she experiences weakness and blackout spells.

As treatment, the doctors pumped saline directly into Ferrante’s heart as she was advised to wear compression socks, and take medication to raise her blood pressure and stay hydrated.

The doctors said the symptoms can go away as mysteriously over a period of years.

During her recovery, Dr. Ferrante wrote a book to help other patients who feel frustrated, frightened and afraid.