Alzheimer's Patient's Brain Plaques Clear After Treatment

Scott Milinski will never forget the day his doctor told him the amyloid plaques in his brain had disappeared. The 79-year-old Pompano Beach grandfather broke down in tears alongside his wife and neurologist after 18 months of groundbreaking Alzheimer's treatment.

Milinski had noticed changes in his memory and mood but chalked them up to getting older. His wife Fran pushed him to see a neurologist, especially since his father had suffered from advanced Alzheimer's disease.

Testing revealed the telltale amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's. Brain scans and cognitive assessments confirmed what the family feared most.

Dr. Hazel Wiley at Broward Health North's Memory Disorder & Alzheimer's Center offered Milinski a new option: Kisunla, an FDA-approved infusion therapy that targets and removes amyloid plaques. He became only the second person in Florida to receive the treatment.

The therapy required infusions every four weeks for 18 months, along with regular monitoring through PET scans, MRIs, and cognitive tests. Clinical trials showed Kisunla can slow Alzheimer's progression by up to 30%.

When recent scans showed no detectable amyloid plaques, the emotional impact hit the family hard. "I was in shock, my wife started crying and Dr. Wiley was pretty choked up as well," Milinski said.

Broward Health emphasizes this isn't a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The goal is removing plaques and slowing how quickly the disease progresses, giving patients more quality time with loved ones.

The Ripple Effect

The success has already expanded access to hope. Broward Health's Memory Disorder & Alzheimer's Center now treats more than 60 patients with Kisunla, offering families throughout South Florida a chance to slow this devastating disease.

Milinski has returned to the activities that bring him joy: casting his fishing line into Florida waters, traveling with Fran, and gathering with friends and family. But perhaps his greatest treasure is hearing his grandson's voice call out "Grandpa" and recognizing exactly who it belongs to.

For families watching loved ones slip away to Alzheimer's, Milinski's story offers something precious: time and recognition worth fighting for.