WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J., Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- LaToya Wright is living proof of the lifesaving capabilities of the Kennedy Neuroscience Center of Southern New Jersey. Not only did the craniotomy she underwent at Kennedy – Washington Township in April save LaToya's life, it also saved the life of her unborn baby, who was delivered in September 2012, five months after the 25-plus hour-long procedure.

Wright's medical miracle unfolded in an unusual way, when she experienced extreme headaches and morning sickness unlike the pregnancy with her first child. On Easter Sunday, 2012, Wright suffered from a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which causes blood to hemorrhage into the brain with potentially devastating consequences (an approximate 30% mortality rate during pregnancy).

"I felt like my ears and eyes were bleeding; it was like I was having head contractions – I can't even describe it," she recalled. "I tried to stand up but couldn't get my bearings; I was walking into walls."

Wright was quickly assessed with a CT scan, which showed the apparent AVM and hemorrhage.  She then was sent by helicopter to meet neurosurgeon Anil Nair, MD, who performed a 25-plus hour-long surgery on Wright.  Because of her case's complexity and the significant radiation exposure to her unborn baby Kennedy, Wright had the conventional open surgery performed that involved a team of neurosurgeons and a dedicated Neuro OR team and support personnel.

LaToya Wright went back to work in August and delivered Kennedy Simone Wright – named after the hospital -- by c-section on September 21^st, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces. While LaToya will need to be on anti-seizure medicine for life, she considers that a small price to pay for the gift of her health and her healthy baby. For more information about Kennedy Health System, visit www.kennedyhealth.org.

SOURCE Kennedy Health System