Category Archives: Brain Injury Treatment

ScienceDaily (Sep. 18, 2012) A child who suffers a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may still have substantial functional disabilities and reduced quality of life 2 years after the injury. After those first 2 years, further improvement may be minimal. Better interventions are needed to prevent long-lasting consequences of TBI in children conclude the authors of a study published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Frederick Rivara and colleagues from University of Washington, Seattle, and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Tacoma, WA, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, describe the functional and quality of life outcomes of children who experienced a moderate or severe TBI when they were 0-17 years of age. In the article "Persistence of Disability 24 to 36 Months after Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cohort Study" they follow up on a previous report that found improvement in some areas of functioning for up to 24 months. In this expanded study, the authors showed no significant improvement in the children's ability to function, participate in activities, or in their quality of life between 24 and 36 months post-injury, and they suggest that a … Continue reading →

Teens who hit their heads while participating in sports such as football, horseback riding, cheerleading or gymnastics, are at risk of suffering concussions - and more. "A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and it is similar to a stroke in that both affect normal brain function and may have similar symptoms," said neurologist Frederick Nahm, MD, PhD, head of the Stroke Center at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. According to Nahm, if a concussion has not properly healed, some teens are at risk of developing a mental disorder such as anxiety or depression. "These secondary complications, like anxiety disorders or a new phobia of tests, memory problems, depression, apathy, inattention and other behaviors are indelible and can be difficult to treat. It's not something the student can control or work harder to fix' because it's the result of an injured brain. "Only a [neuropsychologist or doctor] trained in the treatment of concussion or traumatic brain injury can do a thorough assessment for a severe brain injury," said Nahm. Immediate concussion symptoms may include confusion, disorientation and occasionally becoming unconscious. Ignoring these symptoms is extremely dangerous. "During a game, your adrenaline is going and you're pumped up, … Continue reading →

WUERZBURG, Germany, September 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- VAS203 demonstrates potential as safe and effective treatment vasopharm GmbH, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cerebro- and cardiovascular diseases, today announces that the explorative phase IIa NOSTRA trial in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients met all clinical endpoints for safety and in addition demonstrated strong evidence of clinical benefit in patients. Traumatic Brain Injury is caused when an external force impacts the head. It is a condition with high unmet medical need and is the leading cause of death and disability among young adults in the developed world. TBI accounts for more potential years of life lost than cancer and cardiovascular disease combined and there are currently no drugs available to treat this condition. The NOSTRA (NO-Synthase inhibition in TRAumatic brain injury) trial was a European, multicentre, placebo-controlled, double blind study with safety and tolerability as primary endpoints. The study employed 'in vivo' microdialysis to monitor pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of the compound VAS203. VAS203 is a novel allosteric NO-synthase antagonist which interrupts the inducible nitric oxide process involved in brain swelling. In total, 32 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury … Continue reading →

VAS203 demonstrates potential as safe and effective treatment vasopharm GmbH, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cerebro- and cardiovascular diseases, today announces that the explorative phase IIa NOSTRA trial in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients met all clinical endpoints for safety and in addition demonstrated strong evidence of clinical benefit in patients. Traumatic Brain Injury is caused when an external force impacts the head. It is a condition with high unmet medical need and is the leading cause of death and disability among young adults in the developed world. TBI accounts for more potential years of life lost than cancer and cardiovascular disease combined and there are currently no drugs available to treat this condition. The NOSTRA (NO-Synthase inhibition in TRAumatic brain injury) trial was a European, multicentre, placebo-controlled, double blind study with safety and tolerability as primary endpoints. The study employed 'in vivo' microdialysis to monitor pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of the compound VAS203. VAS203 is a novel allosteric NO-synthase antagonist which interrupts the inducible nitric oxide process involved in brain swelling. In total, 32 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were enrolled in three cohorts in six … Continue reading →

By John Barry, Times Staff Writer John BarryTampa Bay Times In Print: Saturday, September 15, 2012 TAMPA A brain-damaged Marine captain who was promised treatment rather than prison after he killed another motorist while driving drunk in 2010 wept Friday when he learned that a knot of red tape in two states stands between him and his medical care. After an hour of brainstorming, even a judge, his defense attorney and a prosecutor could only partly untangle the knot. "Imagine what chance the average injured veteran would have without all this help," said John Fitzgibbons, the attorney for Scott Sciple, the Marine who suffers from traumatic brain injury. "None." Shortly after his transfer to MacDill Air Force Base in August 2010, Sciple drove the wrong way on Interstate 275, killing a 48-year-old father of five. His blood-alcohol level was three times the level at which the state presumes someone is impaired. Last year, the Marine Corps made an extraordinary admission that it failed to diagnose and treat Sciple for his combat-related brain injuries and never should have sent him to MacDill. In May, the widow of crash victim Pedro Rivera told a judge she was convinced Sciple needed medical care … Continue reading →

By John Barry, Times Staff Writer John BarryTampa Bay Times In Print: Saturday, September 15, 2012 TAMPA A brain-damaged Marine captain who was promised treatment rather than prison after he killed another motorist while driving drunk in 2010 wept Friday when he learned that a knot of red tape in two states stands between him and his medical care. After an hour of brainstorming, even a judge, his defense attorney and a prosecutor could only partly untangle the knot. "Imagine what chance the average injured veteran would have without all this help," said John Fitzgibbons, the attorney for Scott Sciple, the Marine who suffers from traumatic brain injury. "None." Shortly after his transfer to MacDill Air Force Base in August 2010, Sciple drove the wrong way on Interstate 275, killing a 48-year-old father of five. His blood-alcohol level was three times the level at which the state presumes someone is impaired. Last year, the Marine Corps made an extraordinary admission that it failed to diagnose and treat Sciple for his combat-related brain injuries and never should have sent him to MacDill. In May, the widow of crash victim Pedro Rivera told a judge she was convinced Sciple needed medical care … Continue reading →

Newswise ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (September 12, 2012) The latest issue of AANS Neurosurgeon (Vol. 21, Issue No. 3) assesses the use of decompressive craniectomy to treat children who have sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI). AANS Neurosurgeon the American Association of Neurological Surgeons quarterly online magazine is now available at http://www.aansneurosurgeon.org. The article, The Role of Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Brain Injury in Children, poses the scenario of a five-year-old who suffers a head injury after being struck by a hit-and-run driver. Written by AANS Neurosurgeon Editorial Board Member Andrew Jea, MD, FAANS; and co-authors Chris D. Glover, MD; and Timothy C. Lee, MD, for the publications Gray Matters section, the piece notes a scarcity of investigations that evaluate a craniectomys effectiveness in treating young TBI patients. Within the case study, neurosurgical professionals are prompted to a complete a brief survey asking how they would treat the patient themselves. Gray Matters is a regular section of AANS Neurosurgeon in which doctors present neurosurgical cases and ask readers to chime in on how they would handle each scenario. Recent Gray Matters articles include A Case of Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis (http://www.aansneurosurgeon.org/210212/10/1614) and Case of a Grade III Intraventricular Hemorrhage of Prematurity (http://www.aansneurosurgeon.org/210112/10/1223). Although … Continue reading →

Bob Albrecht Columbian files A fire started by a Sifton teen, Alex Michael Smith, destroyed this house the morning of May 13, 2011. Smith was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree arson. By Laura McVicker Columbian Staff Reporter Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Alex Michael Smith suffered a traumatic brain injury eight days before he allegedly burned his family's house down in May 2011. The question before a Clark County judge on Wednesday: Did the Sifton teenager's brain injury prevent him from forming the legal intent to commit first-degree arson? Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis said the evidence was clear: Smith acted "knowingly and maliciously." "He intended to do it," the judge said. "He was aware his actions were going to cause the fire." After hearing testimony in the daylong trial, Lewis found Smith, now 17, guilty of first-degree arson. The teen will be sentenced on Oct. 2. In juvenile court, judges, not juries, decide a defendant's fate. Read more: Sifton teen guilty of setting his home on fire … Continue reading →

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pate Rehabilitation, delivering evidence-based treatment and support programs for individuals recovering from acquired brain injuries (ABIs), today announced the grand opening of Savanna Oaks Ranch, its latest residential facility located in Fort Worth, Texas. The ribbon cutting event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 232 Bens Trail, Fort Worth, Texas 76120. It will feature informative speeches, a health fair and giveaways for visitors from the local community. To emphasize that every 16 seconds a person suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States, TryMunity.com, a social networking site for traumatic brain injury survivors, will give away a BMX bicycle and helmet every 16 minutes from 1:00 to 3:00 during the event. The drawing is open to all attendees and winners must be available to take the prize home that day. For attending rehabilitation professionals, Pate is providing a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) course at 12:15 p.m., which includes an overview of brain anatomy, types of brain injury, complications and treatment titled The Brain, Brain Injury and Recovery. The course will be free to the first 50 who pre-register. To enroll visit http://www.pate.splashthat.com or call 800-992-1149. Savanna Oaks Ranch … Continue reading →

Newswise While involvement in school sports is probably one of the healthiest things, physically and mentally, your child can do, the pressure to play harder and practice longer brings an increased risk of head injury. Medical, sports and school communities are all taking a serious new look at how to treat concussions caused by a hit to, or shaking of, the head. Falls during equestrian, cheerleading and gymnastics events are producing concussions at an increasing rate, along with the more obvious contact sports like football and soccer. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (or TBI) and it is similar to a stroke in that both affect normal brain function and may have similar symptoms, explained Neurologist Frederick Nahm, MD, PhD, and head of the Stroke Center at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut.. Immediate symptoms may include confusion, disorientation and sometimes falling unconscious. Ignoring these symptoms is outright dangerous. During a game, your adrenaline is going and youre pumped up, so its easy to brush it off. But whether you bump your head during sports, a car accident, a fall or during military activity, it may not be until that night or a few days later that you … Continue reading →