Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

An Auckland professor has been awarded a medal for using a cooling cap that induces mild hypothermia to treat and prevent brain injuries in newborn babies. Alistair Gunn was awarded the MacDiarmid Medal on Wednesday for his research into the use of brain cooling on babies who experience low oxygen at birth. Using his research, the University of Auckland professor of paediatrics and physiology developed a "cooling cap", a mild hypothermia treatment to reduce brain injury in newborns. Dr Gunn's ongoing experimental studies are credited with providing the foundation for understanding how, when and for which babies, the cooling cap can successfully reduce brain damage. Based on those results, he went on to develop and lead a major international trial involving 25 perinatal centres and 234 babies in New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK. This trial demonstrated cooling could improve survival among babies and prevent disability in all but the most severely affected babies. Follow-ups with the children at age seven and eight confirmed these results, which were supported by subsequent trials carried out by others around the world. Therapeutic hypothermia is now the global standard of care for treating babies with brain injury caused by low oxygen … Continue reading →

Darboy, WI --A Darboy family has been through more tragedy in the past few years than most people experience in a lifetime. Now, the community is wrapping their arms around them to help them heal emotionally, physically and financially. 23-year-old Ellie Schaefer loves to cook. She has autism and was independent up until a few years ago when two biking accidents caused a traumatic brain injury. "Things that maybe you can do with a 5-year-old, I can't do with a 23-year-old," explained Ellie's mother, Susan Lewis. In a quest to help her daughter heal, Susan took her doctor's advice and began traveling to Colorado and Texas for specialized treatment. Besides the brain injury, a benign growth in the core of Ellie's brain also appeared on the scans. "One image alone is $3,900, so it's been difficult," Susan said. Health insurance won't cover the out-of-state care. Then, tragedy struck again. In April, a candle lit Ellie's room on fire and destroyed much of the house. Ellie's step dad was hospitalized with burns after rescuing her from the flames. Then during rebuilding of the home, flooding damaged their basement. "I just struggle everyday because of the house fire, and yeah it's hard … Continue reading →

An Auckland professor has been awarded a medal for using a cooling cap that induces mild hypothermia to treat and prevent brain injuries in newborn babies. Alistair Gunn was awarded the MacDiarmid Medal on Wednesday for his research into the use of brain cooling on babies who experience low oxygen at birth. Using his research, the University of Auckland professor of paediatrics and physiology developed a "cooling cap", a mild hypothermia treatment to reduce brain injury in newborns. Dr Gunn's ongoing experimental studies are credited with providing the foundation for understanding how, when and for which babies, the cooling cap can successfully reduce brain damage. Based on those results, he went on to develop and lead a major international trial involving 25 perinatal centres and 234 babies in New Zealand, the US, Canada and the UK. This trial demonstrated cooling could improve survival among babies and prevent disability in all but the most severely affected babies. Follow-ups with the children at age seven and eight confirmed these results, which were supported by subsequent trials carried out by others around the world. Therapeutic hypothermia is now the global standard of care for treating babies with brain injury caused by low oxygen … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise PHILADELPHIA New Penn Medicine research has found that elevated levels in the blood of the brain-enriched protein calpain-cleaved II-spectrin N-terminal fragment, known as SNTF, shortly after sports-related concussion can predict the severity of post-concussion symptoms in professional athletes. The complete findings were released today in the Journal of Neurotrauma. This new study builds on previous research from this group showing that elevated blood levels of SNTF on the day of a mild traumatic brain injury treated in the emergency room predicted those patients who would go on to suffer diffuse axonal injury and long-term cognitive dysfunction. We extended this biomarker research to the domain of professional sports to test its merit as an objective and rapid way to determine players severity of brain injury, says lead author, Robert Siman, PhD, Research Professor of Neurosurgery at Penn. This blood test may aid neurobiologically-informed decisions on suitability for return to play following a sports-related concussion. The study, conducted in collaboration with Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD and Kai Blennow, MD, PhD, of the Sahgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and their colleagues, enrolled 288 players in the top Swedish professional ice hockey league. Each … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 25-Nov-2014 Contact: Lee-Ann Donegan leeann.donegan@uphs.upenn.edu 215-349-5660 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine @PennMedNews PHILADELPHIA - New Penn Medicine research has found that elevated levels in the blood of the brain-enriched protein calpain-cleaved II-spectrin N-terminal fragment, known as SNTF, shortly after sports-related concussion can predict the severity of post-concussion symptoms in professional athletes. The complete findings were released today in the Journal of Neurotrauma. This new study builds on previous research from this group showing that elevated blood levels of SNTF on the day of a mild traumatic brain injury treated in the emergency room predicted those patients who would go on to suffer diffuse axonal injury and long-term cognitive dysfunction. "We extended this biomarker research to the domain of professional sports to test its merit as an objective and rapid way to determine players' severity of brain injury," says lead author, Robert Siman, PhD, Research Professor of Neurosurgery at Penn. "This blood test may aid neurobiologically-informed decisions on suitability for return to play following a sports-related concussion." The study, conducted in collaboration with Henrik Zetterberg, MD, PhD and Kai Blennow, MD, PhD, of the Sahgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and their colleagues, enrolled 288 players … Continue reading →

Swift medical attention has given Phil Hughes the best possible chance for a positive outcome. The CPR and excellent hospital care given to cricketer Phillip Hughes has given him the best possible chance of recovery, a leading emergency doctor says. Hughes, 25, is in an induced coma and fighting for his life following emergency surgery to reduce pressure on his brain after he was struck on the head by a bouncer at the SCG on Tuesday. The president of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, Anthony Cross, said Hughes' treatment would involve doing further scans and monitoring for swelling in the brain. Dr Cross, who has not been involved in treating Hughes, said a ball travelling at speeds of around 145km/h that impacts the cerebellum or "little brain" region at the back of the head could inflict incredible damage. "He sustained the blow and then a few seconds later collapsed. "There would rapidly be some bleeding inside or around the brain, which leads to a build up of pressure in an important part of the brain which is responsible for his balance and wakefulness. "When he had the operation on Tuesday they would have made sure there was no further … Continue reading →

The day after giving birth, Mel Hennessy was crippled by intense pain CT scans revealed two brain tumours Mel is one of 14,000 Britons diagnosed with brain tumours every year By Judith Keeling for Daily Mail Published: 17:34 EST, 24 November 2014 | Updated: 10:10 EST, 25 November 2014 If I hadnt fallen pregnant the brain tumours would have carried on growing,' said Mel Hennessy Recovering in hospital the day after giving birth to her daughter, Mel Hennessy was suddenly crippled by an excruciating headache. Ive never known pain like it, says the 43-year-old former beauty therapy tutor from Redcar, North Yorkshire. It was in my eyeballs and eye sockets. 'I couldnt stop trembling I couldnt even hold my baby, Daisy. At first, Mel put her symptoms down to side-effects from the Caesarean anaesthetic. But four days after the birth, in September 2009, the left side of her face was paralysed, too. Read the original here: Mel Hennessy had a brain tumour for 10 years - but didn't realise until she got pregnant … Continue reading →

DALLAS - A cutting edge North Texas medical facility is launching an ad campaign tomorrow raising awareness and funds for veterans suffering from what's called The Invisible Wounds of War. The "Invisible Vet Campaign" is an ad campaign is aimed at combat veterans' rapid recover from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, without using drugs or operations. Is an effort to raise awareness that many veterans are suffering from wounds that you can't see. Carrick Brain Centers of Dallas has a combination of unique therapies in treating these veterans. This treatment primarily focuses on the brain itself and helps the brain heal while enabling veterans to get their lives back. This is an emotional ad campaign by Carrick Brain Centers of Dallas. One of the things that make it so powerful is the testimonial by one of the veterans who was treated there for traumatic brain injury. He is perhaps the most hardened combat veterans alive, and he has high praise for this therapy and even higher hopes for veterans willing to undergo this treatment. "I just want to say thank for getting me back on track," says Marcus Luttrell, a retired Navy Seal. Luttrell was the first patient … Continue reading →

Dane Jorento has the kind of job many people most likely would pay to avoid. For nine years, he has been the director of ABC Mental Health Therapy, an East Side St. Paul day-treatment center that works with sex offenders who suffer from traumatic brain injury, developmental delays, autism or various forms of mental illness. The nonprofit clinic is one of three agencies in the metro that offer group therapy to low-IQ sex offenders ranging from peeping Toms to convicted rapists. Of the three agencies, only ABC mainly treats low-income clients. And within weeks, the only clinic of its kind in Minnesota might close. Ramsey County decided last year to discontinue its two day-treatment therapy contracts by Dec. 31, although the county has offered ABC an extension through March 31. "The day treatment services ABC provides are no longer in alignment with the state and county direction toward individualized treatment plans and contemporary evidence-based practices," John Siqveland, a spokesman for Ramsey County, said Tuesday. Jorento, who has led ABC since its creation, disagrees that his facility's services have fallen out of favor with the state's best practices. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Human Services recently chose ABC Mental Health … Continue reading →

The comedian's attorney has sparked worry after admitting it is unknown if he will be "the Tracy Morgan he once was," when revealing Morgan suffered a severe brain injury in the crash. Although it has been over five months since Tracy Morgan was involved in a fatal car accident in June, when a Walmart tuck allegedly caused a six-car pileup on the New Jersey Turnpike, which resulted in the comedian being severely injured, he is still struggling to recover. Morgan suffered a severe brain injury in the fatal car crash five months ago Following the crash, Morgan remained in intensive care at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital for two weeks, and was then transported to a rehabilitation facility for a further three weeks to receive treatment after suffering a broken nose, broken ribs, and undergoing emergency surgery to repair a broken femur. However, Morgan also suffered a severe brain injury and it is unknown if he will be "the Tracy Morgan he once was," his lawyer said Tuesday (Nov 18th). More:Tracy Morgan Pictured Using Wheelchair, As Lawyer Reveals He May Never Perform Again Benedict Morelli, Morgan's attorney, told reporters "Mr. Morgan is a fighter," outside the federal courthouse in Trenton, where … Continue reading →