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Archive for April, 2011

A Visit to the Dentist Ends in Brain Injury

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Austin Stone was just 19 years old when he acquired a brain injury that destroyed the future he and his family had planned for him. Austin visited the dentist for a routine procedure to have his wisdom teeth removed. An office plumbing mistake caused the dentist to administer the wrong gas to the patient, ultimately resulting in brain injury.

Patient Suffered From Lack of Oxygen

When the injury occurred, Austin’s dentist, Dr. Vincent, was working in a newly constructed office. An unlicensed plumber had incorrectly installed the lines that administer the nitrous oxide and oxygen gases. As he administered pre-surgery anesthesia, Dr. Vincent thought he was giving the patient nitrous oxide, but the crossed lines meant he was really giving a mixture of gas that was primarily oxygen. Without sufficient nitrous oxide, the patient did not become numb. Not understanding this, the doctor tried administering alternate means of pain relief.

First, the doctor gave Austin injections of fentanyl and diazepam (valium). When that failed, he tried propofol. Austin began to experience a normal side effect of increased heart rate. The doctor gave Austin what he thought was pure oxygen to help. Because of the crossed lines, the doctor gave Stone pure nitrous oxide instead. This caused Austin to stop breathing, and the dentists called emergency workers for assistance. (more…)

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Diagnostic Imaging Coming to the Battlefield

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

Soldiers serving in Iraq deal with high rates of traumatic head injuries. The injuries arise when bomb blasts cause pressure waves. If a soldier is standing nearby when the bomb explodes, the pressure can damage the soldier’s brain as if his or her head struck an object. This type of injury shows no outward signs of injury, such as a bump or bruise. As a result, many soldiers do not receive proper medical treatment because of incomplete and incorrect diagnoses.

Brain Injury Rates Increasing

The rising instances of brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan result from greater numbers of soldiers patrolling on foot and more frequent patrols. Without the protection of tanks or armored vehicles, soldiers are much more likely to suffer injuries from nearby blasts.

Bomb explosions in narrow alleys can focus and direct pressure waves to longer distances. Soldiers standing at the opening of an alley could suffer injuries from even a small blast. A soldier’s helmet gives little protection when it comes to pressure waves. The curve of the helmet can redirect the pressure from a blow to the head, but can do little to stop a solid wall of pressure waves.

Danger of Severe Damage without Proper Diagnosis

In many cases, soldiers only suffer slight concussions from bomb blasts. The medical staff on the battlefield must rely on the soldier’s behavior to guess how bad the damage might be. (more…)

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Recession Woes Blamed for Doubling Abusive Head Trauma in Infants

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Shaken baby syndrome, more recently dubbed Non-Accidental Head Trauma (NAHT), happens when an adult shakes an infant rapidly. The infant’s brain rests inside the skull, surrounded by protective fluids. The back and forth motion caused by shaking forces the infant’s brain into the sides of the skull repeatedly, resulting in contusions and brain damage. The swelling caused by these contusions can be so severe that the infant dies.

Shaken Baby Cases Doubled During Recession

Researchers recently found that non-accidental head trauma happens much more often during times of financial stress and that the resulting injuries are more severe. Hospitals dealt with twice as many cases of shaken baby syndrome during the country’s recent economic trials.[1] The mean age of babies suffering for head trauma was four months.[2] (more…)

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Traumatic Brain Injury Patient Rehabilitation

Monday, April 18th, 2011

Rehabilitation for TBI Patients

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) need help to recover. Many patients will reach maximum improvement but never regain their full potential. Rehabilitation is an integral part of recovery, which helps TBI patients find the extent of their limitations and the limits to their improvement. In the process, patients also learn to redefine their new lives in a positive and productive way.

Immediately after Injury

The emotional journey from the time of injury to discharge from care is a difficult one. Immediately after the brain injury, moderately and severely injured patients may need intensive hospital care. After stabilizing, patients can move to subacute care units or to independent rehabilitation hospitals. From there, treatment can take many directions, depending on the patient, the injury and the extent of brain damage. Many options exist because there are so many types of brain injuries.

Choosing a Setting for Therapy

Choosing the right setting for rehabilitation can make a great difference in outcome for a patient. (more…)

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New Car Bonnet Design May Reduce Pedestrian Head Injuries

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

The most dangerous injury a pedestrian can sustain during a collision with a motorvehicle is a head injury. Even if the pedestrian survives, damage to the brain can cause permanent disabilities that severely limit quality of life. A new material developed by the company Cellbound in cooperation with Ruskin University may reduce the severity of head injuries, which could lower the number of fatal pedestrian accidents.

Danger of Head Injuries in Pedestrian Collisions

When an automobile strikes a pedestrian, the bumper usually strikes the pedestrian in the upper leg. The body naturally bends towards the car from the impact, folding over the hood of the car. The forward motion causes the pedestrian to strike his or her head on the bonnet (hood) with intensified force that increases with the speed of the car. In a minor accident, the pedestrian could suffer a concussion. In a severe case, the person could suffer skull fracture leading to coma or death.

New Material Absorbs Impact

The new bonnet material absorbs the energy of the collision better than metal. (more…)

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