Medical opinions
The lack of oxygen to the brain suffered after Schiavo's heart attack in 1990 caused catastrophic brain damage. Schiavo's cerebral cortex has been completely destroyed and replaced by cerebrospinal fluid.
The upper brain is about 80 percent destroyed, and there is also damage to the lower brain. The only part of the brain that remains intact is the brain stem, which controls functions such as breathing and heartbeat—allowing Schiavo to survive (with a feeding tube) even though she no longer has any cognitive function.
Dr. Ron Cranford, a neurologist at the University of Minnesota, assessed Schiavo's brain function in 2001 as part of a court-ordered assessment. He was quoted in Florida Today as saying
"[Schiavo] has no electrical activity in her cerebral cortex on an EEG (electroencephalogram), and a CT (computerized tomography) scan showed massive atrophy in that region." [11] ( http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dl...80350/1006 )
Three Florida neurologists viewed 12 of Schiavo's CT scans on March 22 [12] ( http://www.miami.edu/ethics/schiavo/CT%20scan.png ). After viewing the scans, Dr. Leon Prockop (a professor and former chairman of the neurology department at the University of South Florida's College of Medicine) was quoted by the Sun-Sentinel as saying that Schiavo's scan exhibits the "most severe brain damage as I've ever seen". Dr. Walter Bradley, the chairman of neurology at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, said that he "doubts there's any activity going on in the higher levels of her brain". [13] ( http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity...213061.htm )
In 2002, a trial was held to determine whether or not any new therapy treatments would help Schiavo restore any cognitive function.
A new computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan) was done, and showed severe cerebral atrophy. An EEG showed no measurable brain activity.
Five doctors were selected to provide their expert opinions to the trial: two by Schiavo's parents, two by Michael Schiavo, and one by the court.
These five doctors examined Terri Schiavo's medical records, brain scans, the videos, and Schiavo herself. The physicians were divided in their conclusions.
The two doctors selected by Schiavo's parents (one of whom was a radiologist, not a neurologist; the other of whom made several claims about therapies supposedly developed by him which the court found spurious) supported their conclusion; the two doctors selected by Schiavo's husband and the doctor appointed by the court supported Mr. Schiavo's position.
Greer ruled with the latter that Terri Schiavo was in a PVS and was beyond hope of significant improvement. [14] (
http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/trialctorder11-02.txt )
Florida's Second District Court of Appeal reviewed all the evidence and upheld the trial court's decision, saying had they heard the case themselves they would have ruled the same as Greer. Judge Greer reviewed a six-hour tape of Schiavo and concluded that her vegetative condition was factual and not subject to legal dispute.
Schiavo could be evaluated with a PET scan in her current condition. However, an MRI cannot be done without first surgically removing experimental electrodes which were implanted within her brain in 1992, something that Michael Schiavo has chosen not to do. [15] (
http://www.nationalreview.com/script/pri...160848.asp )
At any rate, neither a PET nor an MRI could change the fundamental finding of both X-rays and CAT, which is that over 50 percent of Terri's brain is destroyed.
...
Hospice staff describe Mr. Schiavo as a very supportive husband who berated nurses for not taking better care of his wife;
in 1994 the hospice attempted (unsuccessfully) to get a restraining order against him because he was demanding more attention for his wife at the expense of other patients' care. Due to the attention she has received in the 15 years she has been bedridden, Terri Schiavo has never developed any bedsores.
Raising the issue of a possible conflict of interest is the fact that Mr. Schiavo stands to inherit the remainder of Mrs. Schiavo's malpractice settlement upon her death. Mr. Schiavo has publicly responded to this charge by claiming that of the original $1,050,000 awarded in the malpractice suit, less than $50,000 is left, the rest having been spent under a judge's supervision on medical care for Mrs. Schiavo and the ongoing legal battle.
He had also had a contract drafted stating that should the Schindlers refrain from any further legal action, he will donate whatever his inheritance may be to charity. The Schindlers refused the offer.
On March 11, 2005, media tycoon Robert Herring (who believes that embryonic stem cell research could cure Schiavo's condition in the future) offered $1 million to Michael Schiavo if he agreed to waive his guardianship to his wife's parents. The offer was rejected, Schiavo having reportedly found it "offensive".
Schiavo's attorney, George Felos, stated that Schiavo has received other monetary offers, also rejected, including one of $10 million. These offers may have been made under the misconception that the removal of Mrs. Schiavo's feeding tube remains simply a matter of Mr. Schiavo's choice. It was ruled in February 2000 that Mrs. Schiavo would choose to have the tube removed, and Michael Schiavo does not have legal standing to overrule this legal determination.
