The Canadian Paraplegic Association (CPA) of Ontario, Canada organized their third annual wheelchair relay challenge in Peterborough to raise money and awareness for spinal cord injury sufferers of Canada. The event brought in $11,000 last year and $7,500 this year, according to a Peterborough Examiner article. The relay, in addition to providing fun and challenge to wheelchair-bound athletes, also exhibits the profound abilities of the athletes for able-bodied people to see. Amy Gagne of CPA Ontario told the Peterborough Examiner that the relay gives “people who are able bodied a learning tool of how people in a wheelchair function from day to day.”

One of the relay team members, Krijn de Rijke of Peterborough, plays sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball, and he does not suffer from a spinal cord injury. He takes part in the events to experience life from a wheelchair. He said, “You get to see life from a different perspective. I think it’s very hard to understand what people are going through until you go through it yourself,” in the article.

The Peterborough wheelchair relay was just one of 15 similar events held across Ontario in February 2010.  The CPA Ontario has further events planned for March of this year. The Windsor Wheelchair Relay Challenge will take place on Sunday, March 28, 2010 in Windsor, Ontario. The CPA Ontario website said, “Push yourself to the limit with the 3rd Annual Wheelchair Relay Challenge. RACE with your team around a course with other hardcore wheelers, or cruise the course at your own pace. Whether an individual or part of a team, register today and join us as we raise money to support individuals with a spinal cord injury achieve self-reliance.”

A Lindsay Post article reported the purpose of the wheelchair relay events is to, “help people better understand the experience of using a wheelchair and to raise funds for those with physical disabilities.” We congratulate CPA Ontario and all participants for their inspiring persistence and determination in organizing and participating in these important events.

References:

Isaacson, Fiona. (March 2, 2010) “Wheelchair relay raises funds and awareness.” Retrieved on March 3, 2010 from the Peterborough Examiner Web site: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2471133

The Lindsay Post Staff. (February 12, 2010) “Wheelchair proving no obstacle.” Retrieved on March 5, 2010 from the Lindsay Post Web site: http://www.thepost.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2446662

CPA Ontario. (March 3, 2010) “Windsor Wheelchair Relay Challenge.” Retrieved on March 5, 2010 from the CPA Ontario Web site: http://www.cpaont.org/events

Researchers from the bioengineering and kinesiology departments at the University of Maryland have pioneered a novel method of using electroencephalography to monitor and decode brainwaves. The brainwaves in question hold the potential to communicate with and control computers and prosthetic devices. It was previously assumed that that electrodes would have to be implanted into the brain to achieve these results, but the new development makes use of noninvasive electrodes on the scalp, according to an article in Scientific American.

Neuroscientist and electrical engineer Jose Contreras-Vidal heads up the team of researchers who reported in the March issue of The Journal of Neuroscience that they have discovered a method of decoding brainwaves mathematically into clear communication that will translate into movement. He told Scientific American, “This means we can use a noninvasive method to develop the next generation of brain–computer interface machines. It can expand considerably the range of clinical and rehabilitative applications.” The noninvasive method involves an “electrode covered head cap.” The only downside is a bit of messy conductive gel rubbed onto the scalp; a small trade-off for spinal cord injury sufferers who regain the ability to walk and move.

The development of the new technology by Contreras-Vidal and his team hold far reaching implications for those suffering with traumatic brain injuries spinal cord injuries, and degenerative brain and spinal cord disorders. Healthy volunteers have already demonstrated the ability to move cursors on a screen and to move an artificial arm using nothing more than their brain waves, the article said. The electrode cap gives scientists the ability to decode information from the entire brain, so even when a patient has suffered damage to one part of the brain, another part may compensate and still provide enough information to evoke movement by way of computer interfaces.

The first patients to test the devices will be stroke victims and below-elbow amputees. In addition to visual feedback, Contreras-Vidal said his team plans to integrate other forms of sensory feedback into their devices to provide more control over the devices.

References:

Moisse, Katie. (March 2, 2010) “No Impants Needed: Movement-Generating Brain Waves Detected and Decoded Outside the Head.” Retrieved on March 3, 2010 from the Scientific American Web site: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=brain-controlled-movement


Pentagon officials announced on March 2, 2010 that troops exposed to blast waves from roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan will be removed from combat for 24 hours before they can be cleared to return to the front lines, according to a CNN article. Up to 300,000 troops from both Middle Eastern fronts might be suffering from traumatic brain injuries incurred mainly from ominous roadside blasts, the article noted. Even when there is no sign of physical damage, the brain suffers from the pressure exerted from the blasts.

All troops within 55 yards of a blast or whose vehicles have been hit by an explosion will be subject to evaluation by field medics for a minimum of 24 hours before they are allowed to return to duty. “In that daylong period, the individuals would be checked for headaches, memory or concentration loss, ringing ears and blurred vision,” the article added. Soldiers who show any of these signs of suffering a concussion will be withheld from duty until their condition shows signs of improvement.

The Secretary of Defense will issue the new Pentagon policy, but most of it was composed and inspired by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen. Adm. Mullen has been drawing attention to the high numbers of traumatic brain injuries suffered by troops in the past few years. “The sooner you are able to treat somebody and get it right, the higher the probability you’ll reduce the long-term impacts. So speed is really important here,” Mullen told CNN.

According to both CNN and USA Today, the Pentagon will issue the official policy in the next few weeks. Soldiers are already being trained to understand and enact the new policy. The crafters of the policy hope that it will reduce the number of successive concussions, as well as lessening the severity of the damage and long-term symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries.

References:

Mount, Mike. (March 2, 2010) “Pentagon will pull troops in bomb attacks from battle for 24 hours.” Retrieved on March 3, 2010 from the CNN Web site: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/02/pentagon.brain.injury/

Ozarks First Staff. (March 2, 2010) “Pentagon To Begin Pulling Soldiers From Combat After Roadside Bomb Blasts.” Retrieved on March 3, 2010 from the Ozarks First Web site: http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=240601

Zoroya, Gregg. (March 2, 2010) “Pentagon focuses on brain trauma.” Retrieved on March 3, 2010 from the USA Today Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2010-03-01-traumatic-brain-injury_N.htm

On July 19, 2009, a minivan crashed into the bicycle of Canadian Robert Wein while he was riding in a bike lane in Kanata, Canada. The hit-and-run accident left Wein with a traumatic brain injury and four of his friends were injured. Wein was left with no memory of the terrible incident. An article in the Ottawa Citizen reported that he could not relate his confused state of mind to the brain injury he had suffered. Finally, toward the end of 2009, Wein realized fully that he had suffered a serious blow in the accident.

Now, Wein struggles to relearn how to relate to his body, how to walk properly, balance, and remember the names of his friends and associates. The fateful crash took place only a week after Wein, who was in prime physical condition, had completed a triathlon. In addition to the brain injury, Wein also sustained an injury to his abdomen, a collapsed lung, severe road rash, and a broken rib, according to the Ottawa Citizen article.

Wein was wearing a bicycle helmet when he was hit by the minivan, but it shattered when he hit the ground. He was unconscious in the hospital after the crash and doctors told his family he might never regain consciousness. The Glasgow Coma scale score the doctors gave him suggested only a 50 percent chance of living through the injury.

After three weeks in an induced coma to reduce the swelling on his brain, doctors allowed Wein to awaken and began teaching him how to eat food and swallow again. Eventually, he was moved from the Elisabeth Bruyere Hospital to the Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre. When he first landed at the center, he required a wheelchair and needed assistance to turn over in bed. He could barely move the wheelchair with his arms. The brain injury had left his short term memory and motor control in less than perfect states.

Wein wears an eyepatch to correct his double vision. He told the Citizen, “That way at least it looks like I’m injured,” he says, grinning again. “I want to fit in here.” After months of rehabilitation, Wein is on the way to teaching his brain how to repair itself and to allow him to use his body the ways he used to. He walks with the use of a walker, and his memory improves slightly, day by day.

After another month in the rehabilitation centre, Wein plans to move to the Robin Easey Centre to get assistance with his daily living skills. We wish Robert Wein a full recovery.

References:

Duffy, Andrew. (February 19, 2010) “After the crash.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Ottawa Citizen Web site: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/After+crash/2587362/story.html

A massive clinical trial began this month to determine the effectiveness of the female sex hormone progesterone as a treatment for brain injury patients. An earlier study of 100 patients revealed that receiving progesterone shortly after incurring a brain injury reduced the death rate by half and led to an improvement in patients’ ability to recover compared to a control group who received a placebo, according to a Guardian article.

The clinical trial will include 1,140 randomly assigned brain injury patients who arrive in emergency rooms at hospitals in 15 states within 11 hours of their injuries. “The trial is the final step before application for a license to use the hormone as a standard treatment for brain injury. Progesterone is cheap and already approved for other medical uses,” the article reported. Patients will receive either a three-day course of progesterone treatments or a placebo.

If progesterone proves as effective at treating brain injuries as it did in the initial 100-patient trial, it stands to become the “first new treatment for three decades to boost patients’ chances of surviving and recovering from a major brain injury,” the Guardian article noted. Inspiration for the initial progesterone trials arose when doctors discovered that women had better outcomes and responses to therapy after brain injuries than men did. A professor involved in the study, Donald Stein, told the Guardian that medical teams found that progesterone had protective effects on brain cells and tissues.

Two years ago, doctors at Zhejian University in China conducted a progesterone trial on 159 brain injury patients. Progesterone was given to 82 of the patients, and a placebo was given to the rest. While not as conclusive as the 100-patient study, the Chinese doctors found that, “Out of the 40 patients who died of their injuries, 32 percent had received a placebo infusion, while only 18% had been given progesterone,” the article said. Further, “Six months after treatment, the patients who received progesterone had recovered better than those who received placebo, suggesting their brains had not been as severely damaged.”

The combined results of the studies point at progesterone as a highly effective treatment for severe brain injuries. It is likely only a matter of time before the hormone receives approval for use in brain injury patients.

References:

Sample, Ian. (February 19, 2010) “Sex hormone progesterone may save lives after brain injury.” Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the Guardian Web site: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/feb/19/sex-hormone-progesterone-brain-injury

Quickly approaching its first anniversary since opening, the Center for Comprehensive Services Orlando at Avalon Park has featured great success since beginning operation on April 22 last year. In partnership with MENTOR ABI, CCS Orlando has been one of the newest facilities in the MENTOR network, offering a variety of rehabilitative and supportive services for people suffering from brain and spinal cord injuries.

CCS Orlando at Avalon Park is one of five CCS facilities throughout Florida. Other locations include Tampa, Lutz, Sarasota, and St. Augustine. The facilities provide neuropsychological assessment, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, dietary consultation, specialized nursing care, physician coverage and individual and family counseling for victims of brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as their loved ones.

The Avalon Park facility is licensed for brain and spinal cord rehabilitation, and is part of a fully-inclusive medical community in southeast Orange County. Housed in the Keith A. Ewing Medical Building, the rehabilitation facility is part of a 1,860-acre neighborhood that offers myriad events and entertainment options for patients. When not utilizing MENTOR’s therapy services, patients and residents can enjoy retail shopping, a wide variety of restaurants, parks, movie theaters, and some of Florida’s top schools.

Avalon’s convenient location makes the facility easily accessible to and from downtown Orlando, the University of Central Florida, and Orlando International Airport.

For additional information about CCS Orlando at Avalon Park, visit the MENTOR Web site at www.thementornetwork.com or for specific information on the services offered at CCS, email Deb Kilgore at deb.kilgore@thementornetwork.com. Information is also available by phone at (321) 354-0023.

Faculty and staff from Blythedale Children’s Hospital, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, and the New York Regional Chapter of the Society of Pediatric Nurses (NYRC/SPN) came together on Tuesday, February 23 in Valhalla, New York to hold a comprehensive brain injury symposium.

The conference included a review of case studies as well as a “review of the incidence of brain injury, pathophysiology of injury to the brain, acute treatment and interventions, and the critical aspects of team rehabilitation,” according to a PR Log press release prior to the event. The symposium attendees also gained important insights into the nuances of caring for children with brain injuries.

Prior to the event, the Director of Education at Blythedale Children’s Hospital said, “More than 1.5 million brain injuries occur annually in the United States. Our goal for this conference is to provide education about the broad spectrum of brain injuries, as well as information about equipment that can be used in the rehabilitation process,” according to the press release. The conference was open to the public.

The symposium included guests from the general public, SPN members, hospital employees, and nursing students. Highlights of the symposium included: a talk on “Brain Plasticity and Healing” by Joelle Mast PhD, panel discussions on various case studies, a talk on brain injury specific “Intensive Nursing Care,” and a tour of the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. The keynote speaker, Carey Goltzman, M.D., presented a speech on “The Pathophysiology of Brain Injury.”

An information pamphlet on the purpose of the symposium said, “Brain Injury can present as a localized lesion such as an arterio-venous malformation, brain tumor, trauma and/or a diffuse insult such as meningitis or encephalitis. Recovery from different types of insults to the brain may proceed differently. The timing of rehabilitation is extremely important.” Further, the conference pamphlet promised to deliver, “critical information necessary to provide care for a child with brain injury.”

References:

Blythedale Children’s Hospital. (February 21, 2010) “Significant Brain Insult Symposium.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Blythedale Children’s Hospital Web site: http://www.blythedale.org/pdf/brain-symposium.pdf

PR Log staff. (February 19, 2010) “Blythedale Children’s Hospital to Sponsor Brain Injury Symposium on Feb. 23rd.” Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the PR Log Web site: http://www.prlog.org/10540222-blythedale-childrens-hospital-to-sponsor-brain-injury-symposium-on-feb-23rd.html

A recently released study revealed that spinal cord stimulation has no more effectiveness than pain medications after failed back surgery, according to a Reuters article. However, spinal cord stimulation may still provide some relief and assistance to certain patients, said Dr. Ajay D. Wasan in his commentary on the study. Dr. Judith A. Turner of the University of Washington in Seattle and her colleagues conducted the study, published in a recent edition of the journal, Pain.

The study consisted of following and comparing the outcomes of 51 people who tried spinal cord stimulation after their back pain persisted following surgery. Researchers compared the outcomes with 39 patients who underwent specialized pain treatments at a pain clinic and 68 patients who received neither pain treatment nor spinal cord stimulation, according to the Reuters article.

The results were not promising, with less than 10 percent of the patients in all three groups showing any kind of improvement in pain levels or movement abilities. However, the spinal cord stimulation group did report less leg pain after 6 months of treatment. The results are not conclusive, since the same group used more opiods than the other groups. At one and two years after surgery, there was no notable difference in results among all three groups.

Dr. Wasan pointed out that 30 percent of the patients who had spinal cord stimulation electrodes implanted did actually show improvement in leg function and a lessening of leg pain after two years of treatment. The Reuters article noted, “While the findings show that spinal cord stimulation is clearly not appropriate for every person with persistent back pain after surgery, people with radiating pain on one side of the body, those who are functioning better before undergoing the procedure, and those in better psychological health are more likely to benefit,” Dr. Wasan said.

While spinal cord stimulation has been proven relatively ineffective in some circumstances, it remains likely that the treatment will continue to be available. Further study is necessary to determine which patients the procedure can benefit the most.

References:

Reuters Health. (February 17, 2010) “Spine stimulation may not help after failed surgery.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Reuters Web site: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61G55R20100217

A Pomona Superior Court jury recently awarded a Pomona woman $12 million after she was forced to sit in a hospital waiting room for several hours with an air-rifle pellet lodged in her brain. Twenty-two-year-old Jessica Ramirez was shot in the head with an air rifle pellet gun at a family member’s home. Details of the shooting were unavailable at the time of this writing. However, Ramirez walked to the hospital with the pellet in her brain. She was still conscious when she entered the hospital emergency room with an increasingly dangerous brain injury.

While Ramirez waited in the emergency waiting room, her brain continued to bleed, which increased the pressure inside her skull, causing her to nearly lose consciousness over the 5 hours she waited before being flown to Huntington Hospital to undergo brain surgery. The neurosurgeon who operated on Ramirez testified in court on her behalf. He told the courtroom that Ramirez’s outcome would have been less severe if doctors would have operated immediately upon her arrival in the emergency room. He added that due to the extended waiting period before receiving treatment, Ramirez will require 24-hour care for the rest of her life, according to a New York Injury News article.

The incident occurred in September of 2007. The owner of the hospital, AHMC Healthcare, Inc., and hospital officials plan to appeal the $12 million ruling. Ofelia Reynaga, Ramirez’s mother, brought the suit to court on behalf of her daughter. While Ramirez was conscious enough to walk into the emergency room, she was left in a vegetative state, which her lawyer and the verdict confirm was due to negligence on the part of the Greater El Monte Community Hospital.

References:

Associated Press. (February 12, 2010) “US jury awards $12 million for brain injury.” Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the Hindu Web site: http://beta.thehindu.com/news/international/article105487.ece

New York Injury News Staff. (February 17, 2010) “$12 million verdict awarded to California woman with severe brain injury.” Retrieved on February 21, 2010 from the New York Injury News Web site: http://www.newyorkinjurynews.com/2010/02/17/12-million-verdict-awarded-to-California-woman-with-severe-brain-injury_201002172496.html

In 2004, Ryan “Gooch” Nelson, the slide guitarist for the band 61 North, suffered a spinal cord injury in a disastrous car accident. After six weeks of intensive rehabilitation, Nelson could play his guitar again. While still confined to a wheelchair, Nelson’s is a success story that provides inspiration for many. On February 20, Nelson and his band played at the second annual benefit concert for spinal cord injury in Carney’s Point, New Jersey.

The first benefit concert in October 2008 raised $4,000, while the totals for this year’s concert have not yet been reported. The money from the benefit will go to the Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia and the Adam Taliaferro Foundation. Nelson underwent his rehabilitation at the Magee Hospital after his accident in 2004. Brian LaPann, singer for 61 North, told NJ.com, “Part of 61 North’s mission is giving back to the community in charities that we believe in. That is why we put together the 61 North Benefit Concert for Spinal Cord Injuries.”

From Nelson’s bandmates descriptions, this year’s benefit sounds bigger and better than the last. NJ.com reported, “This year’s event has more sponsors, a really great sound person and an experienced lighting person.” The show was held at Salem Community College at the Davidow Theatre. Tickets were $20 for adults and $10 for students.

We congratulate Nelson and his band mates for their efforts at raising funds and awareness for those suffering from spinal cord injuries. Nelson exemplifies the attitude of never giving up, even in the face of serious debilitating injuries. 61 North’s music stands as testament to the power of successful rehabilitation and community outreach.

References:

61 North Band. (January 6, 2010) “61 North is proud to announce the Second Annual Benefit Concert for Spinal Cord Injury.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the 61 North Band Web site: http://www.61northband.com/index_2.html

Cormier, Ryan. (February 18, 2010) “Concert benefits rehabilitation hospital.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the Delaware Online Web site: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100218/ENTERTAINMENT/2190306/Best+bets+for+the+weekend

Marine, Jaime. (February 18, 2010) “Concert at Salem Community College will raise funds, awareness for spinal cord injuries.” Retrieved on February 22, 2010 from the NJ.com Web site: http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2010/02/concert_at_salem_community_col.html