Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

An aneurysm a ballooning or bulging out of an artery where the wall is weak can wreak havoc if it bursts. When aneurysms rupture in the brain, the resulting hemorrhage can cause stroke, coma, brain damage or other serious problems. In fact, approximately forty percent of ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal and only twenty percent of patients survive with no permanent damage. There is no clear reason why a brain aneurysm forms, but there are many things that can contribute to its development. Things such as smoking, hypertension, family history, traumatic head injury and other disorders may increase a persons risk of developing an aneurysm. A ruptured aneurysm is a serious health risk that should be attended to immediately. Along with a severe headache, other symptoms can be; neck stiffness, drowsiness, nausea, mental confusion, dizziness, and vomiting. The most severe consequence of brain aneurysm rupture is the tear that allows blood into the space surrounding the brain, causing stroke called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Ten to 20 percent of those who have a subarachnoid hemorrhage will die before getting to a hospital. Of those who survive, approximately thirty percent will have moderate to severe disabilities. Though not all brain aneurysms rupture, … Continue reading →

Brain Injury Treatment Combat, training and other military activities put service members at higher risk than civilians for traumatic brain injuries, or TBI's. Military treatment f... By: AFN Hawaii … Continue reading →

Saturdays Miles 4 Michael 5K-walk fundraiser is designed to help brain-injury victim and lifetime Redondo Beach resident Michael Buettner continue making strides on his road to recovery. Following a traumatic brain injury four years ago during emergency heart surgery, 47-year-old Buettner continues to improve as long as he can continue to pay for his physical therapy, said Buettners girlfriend turned full-time caregiver. The event on Saturday that begins with pre-registration at Verandas Beach House at 401 Rosecrans Ave. in Manhattan Beach at 7:45 a.m. is being held to cover the cost of treatment Buettner needs to continue making strides in every aspect of his life. In honor of Buettners favorite color, walkers and supporters are encouraged to show their support by wearing green on Saturday. Recovery has been difficult and theres still a long road to go, said his girlfriend Janet Thomas. As a result of his brain being oxygen deprived during a 10-hour emergency heart surgery in 2009, Buettners balance, speech, vision and fine-motor-skills have been compromised. Hes unable to perform daily skills. He has made leaps and bounds on his road to recovery according to Thomas. Following complications after his open-heart surgery four and a half years ago, … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (March 28, 2013) The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will commemorate National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW) April 6-12, 2014, in conjunction with its 82nd Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, which takes place April 5-9, 2014. The theme for the 2014 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, Expanding Neurosurgery, focuses on the growing influence those in the neurosurgical specialty have in so many areas of medicine especially the area of traumatic brain injuries, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have increased by more than 300 incidents per 100,000 hospital visits in the last decade. When it comes to traumatic brain injuries, neurosurgeons continue to lead the way in the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of how these injuries affect patients, and what can be done to treat their symptoms and outcomes. For this reason, the AANS and the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) are working to raise awareness and funds to help fight the damage caused by TBI. To help in that effort, AANS Treasurer Alex B. Valadka, MD, FAANS, is running the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 one year after a tragic bombing injured … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise NEW ORLEANS, La. Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) and spinal cord injuries are complex problems that can present with a variety of symptoms or sequelae. To help demystify some of the debate which exists surrounding the definition of when concussion becomes Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS), three experts in brain and spinal cord injuries will discuss their evidence-based approaches next week at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM). Keynotes: Diagnostic and Management Challenges When Concussion Becomes Post-Concussion Syndrome John Leddy, MD Dr. L.eddy will provide a logical treatment approach to post-concussion disorders (PCDs) based upon features of the clinical history, physical examination and response to exertion. Dr. Leddy is an associate professor of Clinical Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Additionally, he serves as the medical director of the University at Buffalo Concussion Clinic, where his primary research interests include the physiology of concussion and post-concussion syndrome (PCS). When the Brain Bleeds: Return to Play After Intracerebral, Subarachnoid and Subdural Bleeds Ross Zafonte, DO He will be presenting on head trauma beyond concussion and the challenges related to … Continue reading →

Updated: Thursday, March 27 2014, 09:04 PM MDT By Crystal Price EL PASO, Texas -- A growing number of New Mexico families are traveling to rehab facilities in El Paso to adquateget adequate care for brain injuries. Managers of Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation in El Paso said they've seen a substantial number of New Mexico patients in recent months, especially young adults. The Brain Injury Alliance of New Mexico, said that's because there is no law that mandates coverage of post-acute rehabilitation services in New Mexico. "This way, the insurance companies in New Mexico can almost purposely write out cognitive rehab or neuro rehab in a post-acute setting," said Nancy Peters, marketing director at Mentis and member of the Brain Injury Alliance of New Mexico. Senate Bill 52, a bill that would have changed that, was endorsed this year. However, it did not pass the legislature. "It's going to be on an ongoing battle," Peters said. "We are fighting for them, we are their voice. We're the voice of brain injury, and it needs to be heard loud and clear." Nicole Lardner is a 21-year-old corrections officer from Albuquerque. Lardner was seriously injured in a car accident in October. It put … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 27-Mar-2014 Contact: Dennis Dyck dyck@wsu.edu 509-358-7618 Washington State University SPOKANE, Wash.--Every year, more than 12,000 Americansmostly young mensuffer spinal cord injuries in car crashes, falls, sports and acts of violence. Those dealing with this life-changing condition may soon have a better way to cope, thanks to a new collaborative research project by Washington State University Spokane and St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute. "Spinal cord injury impacts so many aspects of a person's health and daily life, and we've recognized that more could be done to support this population," said Dennis Dyck, WSU professor of psychology who leads the project with Douglas Weeks, senior research investigator at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute. The researchers will conduct a clinical trial to establish whether multi-family group treatment a psychoeducational intervention originally developed for schizophrenia can help improve the quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury and their caregivers. The two-year project is funded through a $289,495 psychosocial research grant from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, a private grant making foundation that focuses on spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation. "We want to see if an intervention that provides more focus on psychological support is going to have a positive impact … Continue reading →

Dear Dr. Roach: Four months ago, I was in an automobile accident and suffered severe injuries a collapsed lung, broken ribs, broken lumbar spine, broken/damaged teeth and mild traumatic brain injury. My recovery has gone quite well, except for the brain injury. I am a 53-year-old female who has always been in good health. I had a CT scan on my head at the time of the accident and one 10 days after. I went to a concussion clinic several times following the accident and saw a neurology psychologist. Initially, my brain was not functioning properly, but its functioning has improved. I have been released from the psychologist but not the concussion clinic. I was suffering from severe headaches. On my last visit, I was placed on topiramate. It has relieved the severe headaches. At the time of my last visit, I asked the doctor about the constant pressure I feel on the left side on my head and the fuzziness that is always present. He told me the topiramate might not help this if it is nerve damage, and it has helped. I will be returning to the clinic in two weeks. The constant pressure and fuzziness really complicate … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 25-Mar-2014 Contact: Anne DeLotto Baier abaier@health.usf.edu 813-974-3303 University of South Florida (USF Innovation) TAMPA, Fla. (March 25, 2014) Following ischemic stroke, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents harmful substances such as inflammatory molecules from entering the brain, can be impaired in cerebral areas distant from initial ischemic insult. This disruptive condition, known as diaschisis, can lead to chronic post-stroke deficits, University of South Florida researchers report. In experiments using laboratory rats modeling ischemic stroke, USF investigators studied the consequences of the compromised BBB at the chronic post-stroke stage. Their findings appear in a recent issue of the Journal of Comparative Neurology. "Following ischemic stroke, the pathological changes in remote areas of the brain likely contribute to chronic deficits," said neuroscientist and study lead author Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis, PhD, associate professor in the USF Health Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair. "These changes are often related to the loss of integrity of the BBB, a condition that should be considered in the development of strategies for treating stroke and its long-term effects." Edward Haller of the USF Department of Integrative Biology, the coauthor who performed electron microscopy and contributed to image analysis, emphasized that "major BBB … Continue reading →

Following ischemic stroke, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents harmful substances such as inflammatory molecules from entering the brain, can be impaired in cerebral areas distant from initial ischemic insult. This disruptive condition, known as diaschisis, can lead to chronic post-stroke deficits, University of South Florida researchers report. In experiments using laboratory rats modeling ischemic stroke, USF investigators studied the consequences of the compromised BBB at the chronic post-stroke stage. Their findings appear in a recent issue of the Journal of Comparative Neurology. "Following ischemic stroke, the pathological changes in remote areas of the brain likely contribute to chronic deficits," said neuroscientist and study lead author Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis, PhD, associate professor in the USF Health Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair. "These changes are often related to the loss of integrity of the BBB, a condition that should be considered in the development of strategies for treating stroke and its long-term effects." Edward Haller of the USF Department of Integrative Biology, the coauthor who performed electron microscopy and contributed to image analysis, emphasized that "major BBB damage was found in endothelial and pericyte cells, leading to capillary leakage in both brain hemispheres." These findings were essential in … Continue reading →