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'Isolated incident' Doctor confident that Gugliotta's seizure won't reoccur
Posted: Monday December 20, 1999 09:29 PM
PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns team doctor believes that the seizure forward Tom Gugliotta suffered after Friday night's game in Portland almost certainly was an isolated incident that likely won't reoccur. "I feel very confident that we're going to be OK with this," Dr. Richard Emerson said before the Suns played the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. "The statistics vary, but approximately 60 to 70 percent of single, isolated cases remain isolated. ... I feel very confident that this is a single, isolated incident." Gugliotta remained at home on Monday but could return to the team in time for its home game Sunday night against Golden State. In the meantime, a series of tests are planned to further try to determine what caused the seizure. "Basically these are stress types of tests to evaluate the cardiovascular system and some of these other, lesser, more rare causes of syndromes that can lower what's known as the seizure threshold level," Emerson said. Gugliotta was on the team bus in the loading bay of the Rose Garden, talking with his wife on a cell phone, when the seizure occurred. Emerson has said it was extremely fortunate that the seizure did not occur on the team's flight home, when the necessary equipment to revive him wouldn't be available. Gugliotta, who returned to Phoenix on Saturday, was treated Sunday night for a leakage of dye from a spinal tap that had been performed in a Portland, Ore., hospital. The leakage caused what's known as a spinal tap headache that has since subsided, Emerson said. "At this point, we want to keep him at rest today and tomorrow so that will be effective and he won't have any side effects during our diagnosis and treatment programs," Emerson said. The spinal tap, an EKG test and a CAT scan performed in Portland all showed no sign of any problem. Even if the seizure is determined to have a chance to reoccur, the condition could be treated with medication, Emerson said. Gugliotta has no history of seizures or other serious health problems. Several factors could have made him more susceptible, Emerson said. "If there's a dehydration situation, low sodium, a combination of muscle fatigue, an empty stomach -- all of these can potentially lower the seizure threshold," Emerson said. "We're just working through it right now and evaluating all of the possible causes and dietary intake prior to and following the seizure." The spinal headache slowed the timetable for Gugliotta's return. Initially, Emerson said it was thought Gugliotta could be back by Thursday night's game against Dallas. Coach Scott Skiles said he has spoken with Gugliotta and told him not to rush back. "I love the guy on the team and all of that, but it almost doesn't matter to me at this point when he plays. I'm just glad he's here to be able play at some point," Skiles said. "It was just very scary, so that's what I relayed to him, to get rest. "The doctor feels like he needs some time to get his legs under him, and he tells me he's still feeling kind of groggy, so we'll just take that day by day and see how he feels."
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