Anaheim Ducks forward Patrick Eaves has been hospitalized in Newport Beach with a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy cells in the peripheral nervous system.
The disorder is mysterious and potentially extremely serious. The peripheral nervous system controls all conscious motor movement and somatic sensation, up to and including the diaphragm. Guillain-Barre often starts as progressive weakness, often leading to ascending or descending paralysis. The paralysis is generally temporary but can be life-threatening if it affects muscles that allow a person to breathe.