Brain Concussions: potentially lethal
Last week Florida quarterback Tim Tebow got his bell rung while playing in the Florida vs Kentucky football game in Lexington. Football fans looked on in horror as he laid on his back, apparently unable to move his arms or legs for what seemed an eternity. Thank God he was eventually able to walk to the sideline where he sat dazed for awhile, then was taken by ambulance to the hospital for follow-up examination. The coaching staff announced that he had sustained a concussion. It is still not known whether he can play in next weekends game against LSU.
Concussions are serious injuries which cause mild brain damages. The exact type of damages can range from minimal to death. This spring Natasha Richardson died as a result of a seemingly innocent skiing accident due to a concussion.
Most times an Emergency Room is not going to look for a TBI unless the patient comes in comatose. Post concussive syndrome may show up in the days or weeks after the injury and common signs are changes in the ability to concentrate, think, remember or solve problems. Because the only absolutely positive way to determine whether brain tissue has been damaged is by autopsy, the only practical way is to get a competent neuropychological exam. Sophisticated exams like MRI's, SPECT, and PET scans are rarely helpful tools in diagnosing TBI. They are very expensive and not widely accepted in the medical community. The types of injuries sustained by the brain are microscopic, not usually detectible. So a jury looking at a normal MRI isn't going to be impressed.
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