Doc: No hint of Clinton brain injury

A blood clot like the one Hillary Clinton suffered in December 2012 may occur for many people throughout life, a Washington neurologist said Tuesday, and patients can have a fabulous recovery without any lingering effect.

Responding to comments by Republican strategist Karl Rove, whom the New York Post quoted as suggesting the clot caused brain damage, neurologist Alexander Dromerick said there was no outward sign the former secretary of state had any permanent injury from her 2012 health problems.

I dont see a hint that theres anything of a brain injury, Dromerick, the vice president of research at Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital, said during an interview. He was not involved in her treatment.

(Also on POLITICO: Rove vs. Clinton)

Dromerick said the kind of blood clot Clinton sustained can commonly be caused by a concussion or dehydration both of which were reported at the time. Based on what her doctors described, Dromerick said Clintons clot wasnt technically in the brain itself but in a vein draining blood from her brain. Although such an occurrence can cause a stroke, there was no public evidence of that in her case, he said.

And her official work and public appearances since then all indicate that she made a full recovery, he continued.

Absolutely, he said, noting her subsequent schedule of demanding international travel, congressional testimony and high-profile speeches.

(Also on POLITICO: Rove disputes Clinton remarks)

Dromerick also clarified that Clinton would not have been hospitalized for several days because of her concussion, which the medical reports said occurred when she fainted after having a stomach virus. Instead, he expects that doctors admitted her so that they could start her on a blood thinner to address the clot and make sure it didnt cause serious trouble.

The prism glasses she wore for some time afterward only signal that something significant had happened. Theyre often used by individuals dealing with double vision from a variety of causes, including a concussion or blood clot in the brain, Dromerick said.

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Doc: No hint of Clinton brain injury