Prior to the Sixers/Nets game on Wednesday, January 15, 2003, 76ers Team Physician Dr. Brad Fenton spoke to the media about the status of center Todd MacCulloch.

“Todd MacCulloch has been diagnosed with (CIDP) Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. This is a neurological condition where his own immune system has turned against the myelin sheaths that are the outer coatings of the nerves in the peripheral nervous system which serve as the insulation around the middle part of the nerve (the axon). You can think of this as the rubber coating of an electrical wire.”

“It is treatable. Todd is already undergoing intravenous immuneglobulin (IVIG) treatments that began last night. He’s probably now finished with his first one and will have in each group of treatments, I believe, four or five infusions. The first couple are done in the hospital just to monitor for any side effects. To date, he has done terrifically well and has had no side effects. We are expecting that if he does respond to this, there will be a number of courses over the weeks and months to come. The exact schedule has not yet been outlined for us.”

“The prognosis is very good. Sometimes very rapidly symptoms resolve and in fact, it’s probably a bit early, but Todd reported to me this afternoon that he felt some aspects may be somewhat better even with the first infusion. The neurologist said that on testing there were some suggestions that some of the sensory symptoms may be better, but it’s probably too early to tell.”