Freak dirt bike accident uncovers unrelated condition that leaves doctors stunned

Exclusive: When 13-year-old Theo Phillips had an mishap connected his ungraded motorcycle past month, it was thing caller for his parents, who initially chalked it up arsenic yet different travel to nan emergency room for their stunt-performing son.

"We're ever astatine nan hospital, astatine slightest erstwhile each six aliases 7 months, because he's surgery a bony doing motorcycle jumps astatine nan section park, aliases getting concussion," Theo's mother, Lucy Phillips, told 9news.com.au.

Theo's latest mishap seemed comparatively minor, compared to his agelong database of erstwhile injuries, his mother said.

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"It was a little, freak accident. He wasn't moreover connected his motorcycle astatine nan time. He conscionable virtually tripped complete his backmost tire," she said.

Landing look first connected nan bike's handlebars, nan brake lever pierced nan tile of Theo's rima and trim his cheek.

Theo's parents took him to Joondalup Hospital's emergency room, wherever a expert glued together nan cut. 

As a precautionary measure, nan expert besides ordered a CT scan to cheque his jaw.

The scan uncovered thing no-one saw coming: a tumour nan size of an orangish lodged heavy successful Theo's brain. 

Incredibly, Theo had not shown immoderate symptoms aliases informing signs of nan massive, 10-centimetre tumour successful his brain.

"The doctors were stunned," Phillips said, adding that it was terrifying to deliberation her boy had been "a stepping clip bomb".  

"They couldn't judge really large it was — aliases really he was still retired location riding bikes, doing tricks astatine nan skate park, breaking bones, getting concussions."

It was only later that tests showed Theo had nary right-hand peripheral vision, which whitethorn good person contributed to his accidents successful nan past, his mother said.

Doctors judge Theo whitethorn person had nan uncommon and benign tumour - called a papilloma choroid plexus - since commencement and it slow grew complete his lifetime.

Theo was taken by ambulance to Perth Children's Hospital, wherever specialists began preparing for what would go 2 awesome encephalon surgeries — 1 to region nan monolithic tumour, and another, conscionable days later, to relieve vulnerable unit caused by bleeding connected nan brain.

The first cognition — a analyzable eight-hour process — took spot little than 2 weeks aft nan discovery. Surgeons warned Theo's parents astir nan risks: paralysis, stroke, impaired speech, aliases worse.

"They told america if they went moreover a millimetre nan incorrect way, he mightiness not make it, aliases he could beryllium paralysed aliases suffer nan expertise to speak," Phillips said.

Theo underwent nan marathon encephalon operation, but, successful nan hours and days pursuing surgery, it became clear thing wasn't right.

"He didn't unfastened up his eyes and didn't cognize nan names of group he knew, for illustration his brother," Phillips said.

Seven days aft nan operation, a CT scan revealed a build-up of humor connected his brain, and Theo was taken backmost into room — this clip for different seven-hour procedure.

"This clip he was emotion overmuch amended and came astir a batch quicker from nan first op," Phillips said.

"He's starting to retrieve things and trying to put sentences together now."

That 2nd cognition was a fortnight ago. Within a week, Theo's power had returned — briefly.

"He was up and trying to play hoops astatine nan hospital," Phillips said. "And past aft that, he said, 'Oh, I consciousness really dizzy.'"

While Theo was up eating and drinking, and still recovering slowly, his advancement had been group backmost by an infection, she said.

Thankfully, Theo was capable to travel location from nan infirmary connected Tuesday, but her boy now faces a agelong and uncertain betterment pinch a batch of rehabilitation, Phillips said.

The teen is still successful symptom and having problem uncovering words and forming sentences.

However, Phillips said she and her hubby were overwhelmed by their son's strength.

"He's still sewage a agelong measurement to go, but we're conscionable truthful incredibly proud of him," she said.

"He's been unbelievably brave done each of this."