Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy has learnt to walk again after emerging from a coma. For eight months, Kerri Garwood watched her son Daniel Wraight battle with a near-fatal brain injury that had left him bed-bound and unable to feed or walk by himself. my little hero: Kerri Garwood with her son Daniel, 8, who overcame a near-fatal brain injury that had left him unable to feed or walk by himself But now the plucky pupil, who attends Rush Green Junior School, in Rush Green, has just returned to the classroom after a long but successful journey back from a coma that was threatening his life. The youngster, who suffered severe complications during an operation to remove fluid on his brain in May, was welcomed back to his class earlier this month, just two days after leaving hospital and returning home to his family in Rush Green Gardens. myprint-247 Visit our website and save 33% on Recycled Business Cards when you order in January. Use discount code: SAVEBIG at the checkout to apply the discount. Offer applies to any quantity. Valid until: Thursday, January 31 2013 It has been a gruelling journey for Kerri, 28, who said that Daniel's spiralling deterioration began … Continue reading →

The new research comes too late for Junior Seau, but in decades to come it may help ex-football players and others cope with and prevent brain disease related to head impacts. A study released Tuesday reported signs of CTE, a brain disease linked to concussions, had been found in five living former NFL players via scanning that uses low-dose radioactivity. The investigators admit the study was small and more research is needed, but it is potential breakthrough in fighting a disease that has been only diagnosed after death. "One of the problems with CTE cases is that some of them end in suicide. The suicides are often precipitous, without warning," said neurosurgeon Julian Bailes, a co-author of the report and co-director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute in Evanston, Ill. Seau, a former NFL linebacker and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, shot himself to death last May. The National Institutes of Health recently said tests of Seau's brain showed CTE, which has been linked to depression and dementia. "The hope would be if you could identify them while they are in the early states that they could be treated,'' said Bailes, who describes the search for a … Continue reading →

The Infrascanner Model 2000, which uses near-infrared technology to screen for intracranial hematomas, is intended for use on battlefields, in hospitals, and on the sidelines of high-contact sports. The Infrascanner Model 2000 looks for the difference in infrared light absorption between normal brain tissue and hematomas. Some 10 million people around the world seek treatment for head trauma every year, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) is predicted to become the world's third leading cause of death and disability by 2020. The device is meant to be used on eight points of the brain. The Infrascanner Model 2000, a portable intracranial hematoma detector, just may put a dent in the death rate if it helps to quickly spot potential brain bleeds in TBI victims. The handheld device, recently approved for both military and civilian use by the FDA, uses near-infrared (NIR) tech on eight different points of the brain. Because there is a higher concentration of hemoglobin in a hematoma than in normal brain tissue, they absorb NIR light differently, and the device looks for that difference. The scanner was found in a clinical trial to be inferior to an actual CT scan, so it is meant to screen for bleeds … Continue reading →

Public release date: 22-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Connie Hughes connie.hughes@wolterskluwer.com 646-674-6348 Wolters Kluwer Health Philadelphia, Pa. (January 22, 2013) Researchers are making new strides in understanding the health consequences and treatment and rehabilitation needs of combat veterans and other service members affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). The January-February issue of The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, is a special issue devoted to new research in military TBI. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. "For the second consecutive year, we've expedited publication of new papers related to diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation of the many thousands of military personnel affected by TBI," comments John D. Corrigan, PhD, ABPP, Editor-in-Chief of JHTR. Contributed by leading U.S. experts in brain injury and rehabilitation, the eight papers in the special issue address a wide range of aspects of military TBIfrom combat to peacetime, and from active duty to many years after trauma. Important Updates on Brain Injury in Military Personnel There's a pressing need for new research on military TBIa problem with lasting consequences on the lives of thousands of Iraq and … Continue reading →

Studies in Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans Show That Even Mild TBI Can Have Lasting Impact Newswise Philadelphia, Pa. (January 22, 2013) Researchers are making new strides in understanding the health consequences and treatment and rehabilitation needs of combat veterans and other service members affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). The January-February issue of The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, is a special issue devoted to new research in military TBI. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. "For the second consecutive year, we've expedited publication of new papers related to diagnosis, management, and rehabilitation of the many thousands of military personnel affected by TBI," comments John D. Corrigan, PhD, ABPP, Editor-in-Chief of JHTR. Contributed by leading U.S. experts in brain injury and rehabilitation, the eight papers in the special issue address a wide range of aspects of military TBIfrom combat to peacetime, and from active duty to many years after trauma. Important Updates on Brain Injury in Military Personnel There's a pressing need for new research on military TBIa problem with lasting consequences on the lives of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. It … Continue reading →

The Bottom Line This compassionate account of the thrills and risks of extreme sports makes it required viewing for both aspirants and enthusiasts. Sundance Film Festival (Documentary Premieres) Lucy Walker PARK CITY Competitive snowboarding isnt much older than Kevin Pearce, the professional snowboarder at the center of Lucy Walkers thrilling and compelling new documentary. By the time the film catches up with Pearce as he trains to qualify for the 2010 US team, it had only been an Olympic sport for a dozen years. With such a brief history, snowboarding has become a magnet for youthful enthusiasts worldwide who are thrilled by the sport and watching young riders compete. This global audience that extends even beyond most winter-sports regions gives The Crash Reel potential for distribution in multiple territories, where it could readily capitalize on upcoming winter seasons in both hemispheres. PHOTOS: Sundance 2013: The Scene in Park City Pearce, a Vermont native, began snowboarding as a young boy, then competing in local and regional competitions, and in 2005 at the age of 18 he went pro. Earning awards in numerous national events, Pearce frequently competed against Shaun White, an eventual Olympic gold medal winner. But in the run-up to … Continue reading →

ANCHORAGE - Around 800 Alaskans suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. DHSS says the highest rates of TBI are among Alaska Natives, residents of rural Alaska and young people ages 15 to 19 in motor vehicle crashes. The number one cause of TBI across the country and in Alaska is falls. "And that can be a high level fall or a ground level fall, said trauma surgeon Dr. Regina Chennault. Especially in Alaska, icy conditions can catch many people off guard, but its not just the outdoors where people are falling. Dr. Chennault had a patient who woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. And he fell and hit underneath his chin on the dresser and that caused a fracture in his and he also had a traumatic brain injury from that fall, said Chennault. It's older Alaskans who are especially vulnerable to taking what could be a dangerous or even fatal step. The second most common cause of TBI is in a motor vehicle crash. One Alaskan who knows all about that is Jeffry Kellerman. See the rest here: Heads Up Alaska: … Continue reading →

By ALISON DORF Published January 17, 2013 at 2:59am Updated January 17, 2013 at 2:59am A statewide collaboration is furthering the treatment of traumatic brain injuries within Arizona. The National Institutes of Health chose Arizona as the only state to evaluate the national standards for pre-hospital emergency care of traumatic brain injury, according to an Arizona Department of Health Services news release. Some attribute this success in treating severe brain injuries to the Excellence in Pre-hospital Injury Care, or EPIC, program. The UA College of Medicine is currently involved with EPIC, which is the only project of its kind in the country. It is a major collaboration between the Arizona Department of Health Services, the UA, Arizona Fire Departments and EMS agencies. Through EPIC, it is possible to track how its guidelines are helping patients by collecting data from paramedics and EMTs, and linking it to the Arizona State Trauma Registry. It is then possible to determine different scenarios for patients, including survival, length of stay in the hospital and cost, according to Dr. Ben Bobrow, medical director at the Bureau of EMS and Trauma System and a professor of emergency medicine at the UA College of Medicine on the … Continue reading →

Jan. 16, 2013 For the first time, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (CCBI) have used a new combination of neural imaging methods to discover exactly how the human brain adapts to injury. The research, published in Cerebral Cortex, shows that when one brain area loses functionality, a "back-up" team of secondary brain areas immediately activates, replacing not only the unavailable area but also its confederates. "The human brain has a remarkable ability to adapt to various types of trauma, such as traumatic brain injury and stroke, making it possible for people to continue functioning after key brain areas have been damaged," said Marcel Just, the D. O. Hebb Professor of Psychology at CMU and CCBI director. "It is now clear how the brain can naturally rebound from injuries and gives us indications of how individuals can train their brains to be prepared for easier recovery. The secret is to develop alternative thinking styles, the way a switch-hitter develops alternative batting styles. Then, if a muscle in one arm is injured, they can use the batting style that relies more on the uninjured arm." For the study, Just, Robert Mason, senior research psychologist at CMU, and … Continue reading →

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- InfraScan, a medical device company specializing in brain injury diagnostic products, announced today that it has obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to market the Infrascanner Model 2000, a noninvasive handheld brain hematoma detector. The Infrascanner Model 2000 is a handheld device with a disposable patient interface that uses Near-Infrared (NIR) technology to detect intracranial bleeding, identifying those patients who would most benefit from immediate referral to a CT scan and neurosurgical intervention. FDA approval in the U.S. allows InfraScan to offer an industry first, powerful tool for use by civilian and military medical professionals to quickly triage head trauma patients, said Baruch Ben Dor, President and CEO of InfraScan, Inc. Shortening the time to treatment through effective detection of intracranial bleeding can mean preserving brain function in a patient and even saving lives. The Infrascanner Model 2000 was developed in partnership with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The Model 2000 features upgrades that meet the specifications of the U.S. Marine Corps and is a ruggedized, integrated, user-friendly unit. Before the Infrascanner, first responders had to rely on imprecise methods to detect brain bleeds in patients, potentially delaying treatment, said Dr. Joseph Maroon, Professor and Vice Chairman … Continue reading →