30/08/2024
Wonderful 🥰😍
Meet Abi, a brave 13-year-old from Logan whose life changed after she received an Australian-first procedure at Logan Hospital.
Abi recently became the first person in Australia with a ventilator-dependent spinal cord injury to undergo a vertigo assessment in Queensland’s only Multiaxial Rotational (TRV) Chair. 😀
The TRV Chair is a special device used to diagnose and treat vertigo. It rotates patients 360 degrees to target specific areas in the inner ear, helping to relieve dizziness and balance issues.
Abi's journey began at age three with life-changing injuries and debilitating positional vertigo. Her complex care needs made testing a challenge but after a year of planning and a spin in the TRV chair, she is now on her way to being vertigo-free.
Vertigo is a feeling of dizziness where it seems like the room is spinning, or you feel unsteady even when you're not. 😵💫
During the test, Abi showed amazing courage and strength, despite her fear and anxiety. ❤️
Leia, a consultant vestibular physiotherapist, said experts from multiple health sectors and facilities came together to make the appointment for Abi possible.
The team included clinicians from Queensland Children’s Hospital, Logan Hospital, Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, and others, along with her carer and her mum Tanya (pictured with Abi).
While Abi was in the chair, six people were there to help. A clinical neuropsychologist online, paediatric anaesthetist on the phone and an ENT surgeon nearby in case there were any breathing problems.
'From the planning of Abi’s session, we have now treated several people who use a wheelchair full-time including a patient with cerebral palsy and someone with a C5/6 spinal cord injury, both of whom are now vertigo free,' Leia said.
'We have opened doors into an area of care that haven’t been opened before, enabling improved access to healthcare for patients with complex care needs.'
Mum Tanya said the procedure had changed her little girl’s life. 🫶
We wish you all the best Abi. Thank you for sharing your story.
Via Metro South Health
