13-year-old Texas boy with plastic pipe sticking out of his head after swimming with friends caused illness that could have killed him
A 13-year-old Texas boy underwent multiple brain surgeries and a tube inserted into his skull after contracting a life-threatening illness while swimming.
Christopher Bryant spent most of his summer diving with friends when, just over a week ago, he suddenly complained of a “terrible earache.”
According to his mother, Kendra Smith, the high school student’s earache turned into a severe headache during the night and he woke up with a swollen eye.
Blacksmith told NBC: ‘It happened so fast. It was surreal for me. It was terrifying. Then one day he came home from swimming and said he had a terrible earache.
“And the next morning he woke up with a swollen eye. He couldn’t even open it.”
Christopher Bryant, 13, was forced to undergo multiple brain surgeries and have a tube inserted into his skull after contracting a life-threatening illness while swimming
The concerned parent rushed him to a nearby ER because he was still struggling with pain and could barely speak. Officials referred them to Children’s Medical Center Dallas for treatment.
“I thought he would be back in about three days after we got here,” Smith said.
But doctors at the medical center soon determined that Bryant had sinusitis that had spread to his brain, requiring him to undergo two skull surgeries.
Surgeons also inserted a tube into his head to aid his recovery.
Despite the many surgeries and tubes in his head, Smith is still grateful that her son made it out alive.
“He means everything to me. He saved my life, actually,” she said. “So he’s my best friend.”
His mother, Kendra Smith, said the high school student’s earache quickly turned into a severe headache during the night and he woke up with a swollen eye.
The concerned parent took him to a nearby ER because he was still struggling with pain and could barely speak. Officials referred them to Children’s Medical Center Dallas for treatment
Doctors at the medical center soon diagnosed Bryant with sinusitis that had spread to his brain, forcing him to undergo two skull surgeries
Doctor Lasya Challa revealed that Bryant had developed an abscess behind his eye and pus on his brain, which could have cost him his life.
She added that a severe sinus infection can lead to severe headaches, a swollen or painful face, redness around the eyes and eye pain, poor drainage and sometimes even seizures.
According to the CDCSinus infections occur when fluid builds up in the air-filled cavities of the face. This fluid allows bacteria to grow on the face.
Although these infections are usually caused by viruses, they can also be caused by bacteria.