A 20-year-old University of South Florida (USF) student, Gabby Melo, survived a rare stroke caused by a rare heart condition. Melo, a third-year biomedical sciences student, plans to become an emergency room doctor. She was folding laundry early in the morning on June 1 when sudden dizziness caused her to collapse.

Rapid Response Saves Life

Her aunt discovered her face down and unable to speak, prompting an immediate 911 call. Medical experts stress that this rapid response was vital for her survival. “Time is extremely important when it comes to strokes,” said Tisha Richardson, a clinical nurse coordinator at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital. “You usually have a four-hour window where you can do effective treatment.” Because Melo arrived at the hospital quickly, emergency doctors successfully cleared a blood clot in her brain.

While emergency treatments resolved the immediate crisis, doctors did not initially know why the healthy 20-year-old suffered a stroke. Medical teams later discovered that Melo had a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is a small opening between the upper chambers of the heart that typically closes after birth. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Abdolgani Saadi explained that a PFO remains open in about 10% of the population.

Road to Recovery

Saadi performed a specialized surgical procedure to permanently close the opening in Melo’s heart and prevent future clots from traveling to her brain. Melo is now back home with her family, focusing on her physical recovery and her dream of practicing emergency medicine. “I’m most excited to go into my bed and eat my aunt’s food,” Melo said upon her hospital discharge.

Original reporting: Tampa Bay Florida News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.