Rugby Players and Fans Show Support for Paralyzed Player
May 13, 2010 - 10:08pm

Delmar resident and rugby player Michael Jones suffered a severe spinal cord injury at a rugby tournament in Florida on February 27, 2010. A neurosurgeon called his wife, Lisa DeStafo Jones, to tell her the shocking news. He said, 'This is a Christopher Reeve-type of injury,' an article in the Times Union reported. At age 44, Jones was healthy and vibrant, still able to knock around with the younger rugby players. Now, he battles to win back the health of his spine and the use of his body at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey with his grieving wife and his daughter Liliana.

Football and hockey organizations and officials have recently introduced new rules and protocols for preventing, identifying, and treating head and neck injuries. Part of that shift in awareness required the disillusion of the idea that it is a sign of manliness or toughness to go on playing after an injury. Rugby, while it has evolved over recent years, still does not have any sport-wide regulations for spinal cord and/or traumatic brain injuries.

In South Africa, rugby officials have started the BokSmart safety program, according to an Eyewitness News article. The program requires all coaches and referees to be certified by BokSmart beginning in January 2011. According to the South Africa Rugby information page on BokSmart, 'The primary aim of BokSmart is to provide rugby coaches, referees, players, and administrators with the correct knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities to ensure that safety and best practice principles are incorporated into all aspects of contact rugby in South Africa.'

Regardless of any changes of rules or protocols, training of coaches and referees, and attempts to make the game safer, part of what defines rugby is the toughness required by its players. No helmet and no pads have become a hallmark of the game and one of the main differences between rugby and football.

Rugby players from around the world have shown Michael Jones support the same way they might during a game. 'Low and tight, Brother Jones! Low and tight. Keep on pushin' the pack is with you. All good stuff to you,' one supporter wrote. Another said, 'JonesyStoke the fire my friend. Use your strong heart and passion to keep going forward. You've got a strong pack in support'¦and backs too!' according to the Times Union article. We wish Michael Jones a full recovery.

References:

Esben, Morne. (March 30, 2010) 'New rugby safety programme launched.' Retrieved on March 31, 2010 from the Eyewitness News Web site: http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=36048

Gish, Jennifer. (March 25, 2010) 'Tough is best in a hard time.' Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from the Times Union Web site: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=915094

South Africa Rugby Staff. (March 30, 2010) 'BokSmart: Coaches and Referees.' Retrieved on March 31, 2010 from the South Africa Rugby Web site: http://www.sarugby.co.za/boksmart/Default.aspx?contentId=18733

Shuttle Program for Brain Injury Survivors Criticized for Misuse
May 13, 2010 - 10:03pm

New York City plays host to a Medicaid shuttle program for people with traumatic brain injuries to get around town for errands and short trips around the city. Recently, the program has been under fire after an unknown whistleblower revealed that some clients have been using the shuttle service to purchase cigarettes. Apparently, it wasn't just a trip to the grocery store either. The person in question allegedly made 20 trips over 3 months to Seneca Nation Reservation to buy cheaper cigarettes, according to a Behavioral Health Central article.

Social Services Commissioner Carol Dankert said, "It seems counter-intuitive to me to use Medicaid dollars to make unhealthy choices," the article reported. She then made a formal letter to the New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines asking why clients were able to make cigarette runs using Medicaid dollars.

The shuttle services are available for traumatic brain injury victims who need nursing home care but who choose to live independently of a nursing home. The program - Medicaid Waiver for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury - is run by the state of New York, but county employees keep track of the mileage and trip destinations.

Todd Vaarwerk of the Western New York Independent Living Project said that although buying cigarettes might be a bad choice, "the county doesn't have the right to deny something that a person without a disability would otherwise be entitled to. That would be paternalism," the article said. He advocated for the County to keep playing its part in the shuttle program instead of handing responsibility over to the state. "The county has a role in making sure the money is spent to meet the broader needs of the community," he told The Buffalo News.

Since the Medicaid program was intended to assist brain injured clients live a more normal life, it makes sense that certain individuals' normal lives include buying packs of cigarettes and going out to eat at their favorite restaurants. The shuttle program exists to assist them in living their lives, not to dictate how those lives are lived, some supporters of the shuttle have suggested.

References:

Fairbanks, Phil. (April 6, 2010) "Comptroller claims his office found abuse." Retrieved on April 6, 2010 from the Buffalo News Web site: http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/04/06/1010423/comptroller-claims-his-off...

Spina, Matthew. (April 5, 2010) "Medicaid shuttle program criticized: Funding of trips to buy cigarettes questioned." Retrieved on April 6, 2010 from the Behavioral Health Central Web site: http://behavioralhealthcentral.com/index.php/20100405218668/Latest-News/...

Serbian Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Study Reveals Positive Results for Brain Trauma
May 13, 2010 - 9:58pm

The Slavica BioChem division of Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. (HTDS) recently presented results from their hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) chamber study for treatment of traumatic brain injury. The positive results were presented to the 8th World Congress on the Brain Injury in Washington, DC in March, put on by the International Brain Injury Association. The gathering is the largest of its kind in the world. This year's meeting was the most heavily attended ever, featuring therapists, social workers, medical professionals, psychologists, and researchers from all over the world, a PR Newswire article reported.

The head scientist of HTDS, Dr. Sanja Pekovic, said in the article, "This Congress was an excellent opportunity to get insight into the state-of-the-art research, covering all from the basic science to the clinical aspects of brain injury, as well as for establishing important contacts with international professionals involved in the brain injury research and the care of people with acquired brain injury." He added that the conference was a perfect venue to present the results of the Serbian team's hyperbaric oxygen chamber animal trials for brain injury treatment.

While rats were used in the study, the same hyperbaric oxygen chambers used for humans were used in the experiment. Slavica Biochem conducted the study in conjunction with researchers from the Hyperbaric Medical Center at the School of Medicine at University of Belgrade in Serbia. The results of the study were promising and added new data upon their previous positive achievements.

Dr. Pekovic continued, "Our previous experiments showed that repetitive HBO treatments significantly reduced neuronal loss and degeneration, suggesting that HBO was able to attenuate the effects of brain damage by reducing the progression of neuronal injury," the article reported He added that his team's most recent study "revealed new beneficial effects of HBO treatment on glial scarring and inflammatory processes after traumatic brain injury." The positive results did not end there.

Pekovic asserted that HBO treatments reduced inflammation in the brains of the rats in the study and suggested that HBO be used for brain injury recovery as soon as it becomes available for such use. Pekovic ended by calling HBO chambers an "attractive therapeutic tool for improving recovery from head injury." With any luck, the treatments will become widely available sooner than later.

References:

PR Newswire Staff. (April 6, 2010) "Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. (HTDS) Reports on Positive Influence of Hyperbaric Oxygenation on Recovery from Brain Trauma." Retrieved on April 6, 2010 from the PR Newswire Web site: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hard-to-treat-diseases-inc-htds-...

Doctors Can View Brain Scan Images Using iPhone Technology
May 12, 2010 - 7:58pm

A Calgary, Canada research team developed a new software program to allow Canadian doctors to view brain scans and similar diagnostic images on a standard iPhone. Health Canada approved the software for medical use, a Calgary Herald article said. The software application was designed by Ross Mitchell, a radiology professor at the University of Calgary, in conjunction with his students and his private firm Calgary Scientific Inc. It has taken two years from idea to completion of the software package, the article noted.

The profound implications for traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury patients could be many. If students who get concussions could have their brain scans immediately viewed and analyzed by doctors and experts around the world, a better diagnosis and treatment plan would be the result.

Mitchell said, 'We really want to try to have a clinical impact if we can,' the article reported. He added that he and his team often visit doctors for advice and input at Calgary's Foothills Hospital. The software, called the Resolution MD Mobile Software, allows doctors to view three-dimensional medical images in high definition on the iPhone G3. The technology has the potential to allow more speedy diagnosis and to allow multiple experts from around the world to give their professional opinion quickly on critical cases.

Currently, the Foothills Hospital, the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and two other American Universities are conducting clinical trials of the technology. Mitchell said of the studies, 'We did a stroke trial . . . and compared performance of radiologists reading on the iPhone to the standard clinical reading work station and the performance was identical," the article reported.

The software package is also being tested on Apple's new iPad, which offers a much larger screen for doctors to view the complex images for the process of diagnosis. Health Canada spokesman Phillippe Laroche said that the software application is licensed in Canada as a medical device. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Europe's CE Mark have yet to approve the software application for medical use.

References:

Derworiz, Collette. (April 20, 2010) 'Software lets doctors see brain scans on iPhone.' Retrieved on April 21, 2010 from the Vancouver Sun Web site: http://www.vancouversun.com/Software+lets+doctors+brain+scans+iPhone/293...

Xenon Gas Explored for Brain Injury Prevention
May 12, 2010 - 7:45pm

British physicians recently reported that they were able to prevent a brain injury in an infant by using a rare and expensive inert gas, according to an Associated Press article. Doctors in Bristol, UK at St. Michael's Hospital said that they are among the first to use the experimental gas treatment to prevent a brain injury.

A baby boy, Riley Joyce, was born without the ability to breathe or maintain a pulse, and he showed signs of an approaching brain injury. The doctors got him breathing again and restored his pulse, after which they administered xenon gas to cool his brain. While cooling the brain has been shown to help in the prevention of long-term brain damage, lab tests have reportedly demonstrated that the addition of xenon gas can nearly double the protection afforded by cooling, the article said.

One week after the xenon treatment, Riley was fully conscious and able to eat. The doctors plan on using xenon on 12 babies in similar situations before starting a more expansive clinical trial, the article noted.

The professor of neonatal neuroscience at the University of Bristol, Marianne Thoreson, and Dr. John Dingley, consultant anesthetist at Swansea University's School of Medicine co-developed the technique of using xenon for cooling the brain to prevent brain injury, a BBC News article reported. Dingly created a machine by which micro doses of the extremely rare and high-priced xenon gas could be administered. The machine has been approved for clinical trials.

Riley Joyce's parents had to consent to the experimental therapy before doctors could proceed with it, and they are certainly glad they did so. Dave and Sarah Joyce told BBC News, "We are delighted that Riley is doing so well and we are extremely grateful that we were given this opportunity. Marianne was so passionate about the treatment and we truly believe that she had and still has the best interests of Riley in mind."

It was unclear whether or not cooling and administering xenon gas would prevent brain injuries in adults suffering from similar conditions.

References:

BBC News Staff (April 6, 2010) "First baby given xenon gas to prevent brain injury." Retrieved on April 13, 2010 from the BBC News Web site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bristol/somerset/8611130.stm

Red Orbit Staff. (April 10, 2010) "Doctors Use Xenon To Prevent Brain Injury In Boy." Retrieved on April 13, 2010 from the Red Orbit Web site: http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1847958/doctors_use_xenon_to_prevent...

Young Couple Struggles Together to Transcend Man's Spinal Cord Injury
May 12, 2010 - 7:37pm

Young golfer Honza Ripa dove into the Russian River in Sonoma County, CA 10 months ago, breaking his neck and nearly drowning in front of his girlfriend and other local teens. The gathered crowd dragged him out of the water and saved his life. His girlfriend, 17-year-old Brianna Angell, has remained by Ripa's side ever since the injury, a Healdsburg Press Democrat article reported.

Ripa, 18 at the time of the accident, was paralyzed from the neck down after sustaining a severe spinal cord injury from his ill-fated dive into the Russian River. The former vivacious athlete now struggles with a body that can no longer participate in sports he once loved. Ripa's girlfriend is not afraid of the challenge presented by assisting him in his recovery and remaining his most staunch advocate and supporter.

Angell and Ripa have plans to move in together this coming summer and to begin attending classes at Santa Rosa Junior College this fall. Ripa celebrated his 19th birthday on Thursday, April 22. The couple said they had plans to move in together eventually, and Ripa's injury only sped things up.

Ripa and Angell have been high school sweethearts since they met in September 2008. The couple's parents fully support their decision and said that the couple have achieved an extreme amount of maturing in their relationship ever since Ripa's terrible accident. Angell's mother said, "It's endearing and it's heartwarming. They are the real deal. They've done a lot of growing up in a short time," the article reported.

Angell has spent time learning how to better assist Ripa in day-to-day challenges of living with paralysis. When his electric lift is not working, Angell uses a wooden plank to transfer him from his wheelchair into his bed and back. Ripa still fights the paralysis in his mind during his waking hours and even in his dreams. He said that he still dreams of playing golf and when he is awake, he still has a sense that he could reach for a glass or answer the phone.

Since Ripa requires assistance for almost everything he does, he is immensely glad to have the profound and unconditional love Angell has bestowed upon him since his injury.

With luck and an immense amount of research, Ripa may well be cured of his paralysis in the coming years. In any case, Angell will be there with him to the end, no matter what fate delivers the two of them.

References:

Kovner, Guy. (April 18, 2010) "A journey together." Retrieved on April 21, 2010 from the Healdsburg Press Democrat Web site: http://yourtown.pressdemocrat.com/2010/04/healdsburg/a-journey-together/

Skier Bikes Pacific Coast to Inspire Spinal Cord Injury Survivors
May 12, 2010 - 7:24pm

Skier Kevin Yolken suffered a severe spinal cord injury while skiing five years ago in Chile. He lost movement and feeling in his legs and was unable to walk. He has since achieved an almost complete recovery, after facing a handful of even more disastrous circumstances. His next triumphant act will be to bicycle along 1500 miles of Pacific Coastline to inspire and raise money for other winter sports athletes with injuries similar to his own, a Utah Park Record article reported.

Yolken suffered his spinal cord injury while free-skiing. He attempted a jump off a cliff over which he thought there would be a cushion of newly fallen snow. Instead, he landed on sheer ice, lost control, and crashed. After that, he lost all feeling in his legs and realized his back was broken. Luckily, Yolken's spinal cord injury was incomplete, so he retained the ability to one-day walk again.

After weeks of physical therapy and rehabilitation in Santa Clara, California, Yolken regained some movement and sensation in both of his legs. Eventually, he was able to stand and walk without the aid of crutches. Once he stood up out of his wheelchair, he never sat back down in one again. After he returned to skiing in 2006, Yolken crashed again and broke his leg. Today, he has no calf strength in his left leg, the article reported.

Even with his injuries, Yolken went to Hawaii and learned to surf on Oahu's north shore, where the waves can reach over 30 feet high. He broke his left heel twice and endured surgery for a heel laceration in Hawaii, the article said. Even after all of his accidents, Yolken skied more than 100 days of last winter's ski season in Truckee, CA.

In order to share his iron will and fortitude with other unfortunate injury victims, Yolken has completed two fundraising bike rides for the Kelly Brush Foundation to generate funds for spinal cord injury research. Most recently, Yolken teamed up with an old friend, Chelsea Laswell, who he met at the Winter Sports School in Park City, Utah to help her fulfill a lifelong dream of bicycling down the Pacific Coast.

The pair biked from Seattle to San Diego in conjunction with Biking For a Better World to raise funds for the High Fives Foundation. The group provides scholarships, donations, and grants to injured winter sports athletes, the article reported.

References:

Piper, Matthew. (April 6, 2010) 'Skier hopes to inspire others with Pacific Coast bike ride.' Retrieved on April 14, 2010 from the Park Record Web site: http://www.parkrecord.com/summit_county-sports/ci_14831581

Defense Department Creates Databases for Traumatic Brain Injury
May 12, 2010 - 6:46pm

The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the development of databases that will be used to track brain injury cases. The databases will allow doctors and military officials to diagnose and treat injured soldiers from the battlefield to the hospital and back home. Adam Robinson, a Vice Admiral and the Navy's surgeon general, announced the creation of a spreadsheet for the Marine Corps to report blast injuries. The announcement took place before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel on April 13, 2010, according to a Next Gov article.

After any head or blast injury takes place in combat zones, data on the soldier and the injury in question is entered into a permanent spreadsheet stored in the database to assist caregivers and military officials in better evaluating, treating, and following up with every soldier who has endured a potential brain injury, including those soldiers who may not have reported their own injuries to authorities.

The Marine Corps also announced plans for a non-medical database designed for field commanders to keep track of which troops have been exposed to concussions or explosive blasts. The Navy and Marine databases will be cross-referenced in the name of advancing research and improving treatment of traumatic brain injury, Commander Joseph Surette, spokesman for the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery said in the article.

The databases come along with a shift in how the military handles brain injuries and potential injury incidents. Formerly, the Department of Defense relied on a self-reporting system for tracking injuries. Now, they have instituted an incident-based tracking system, the article said. Defense Department officials will announce new brain injury policy changes in the next few months.

The NFL has also added data to the pool for the advancement of brain injury research and treatment, Air Force Col. Michael Jaffee said. The Army is currently reviewing data gathered in over 600 blast events with sensors that were installed into the helmets of over 7,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from March 2008 to March 2009, the article reported. Data from those sensors will be compiled, analyzed, and the results presented to the Army officials sometime within the next month.

References:

Brewin, Bob. (April 20, 2010) 'Defense develops traumatic brain injury databases.' Retrieved on April 21, 2010 from the Next Gov Web site: http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100420_9199.php?oref=topstory

Encinitas Youth Making Strides Toward SCI Recovery
May 12, 2010 - 3:38pm

Joey Abicca, a 15-year-old from Encinitas, CA, was crushed in a freak accident while operating an earthmover to build a BMX bike-racing track. The boy was flown to Rady's Children Hospital in San Diego and remained in intensive care for 11 days with a fractured pelvis and a spinal cord injury that took away his ability to walk, a North County Times article reported.

Two months later, Joey began rehabilitation at Project Walk in Carlsbad, CA. He works out with personal trainers and is making slow, but daily, progress. Joey's mother Renny Abicca said, "No one knows what to expect, but we know that if we don't do this, he won't get better," the article reported.

Before his accident, Joey was active in surfing, wake boarding, and riding BMX bicycles. Now all his efforts are dedicated toward fully recovering from his injuries so he can return to the recreation he loves. Formerly, patients who endured spinal cord injuries were sent home in a wheelchair. Over the past 10 years, all that has changed. Rehabilitation by way of physical therapy has helped many spinal cord injury victims return to their feet.

Project Walk in Carlsbad is one of many rehab centers all over the country that are helping people like Joey have a chance at recovering the ability to walk. Eric Harness, director of research and development at Project Walk, said that 71 percent of the patients who have attended their programs have achieved some recovery of the use of their bodies over 6 months. He told reporters, "When we started this, people called us crazy And basically, at the time, we really didn't know what we were doing," the article reported. His program has come a long way.

The next step for young Joey is to get him to graduate from a wheelchair to a walker. However, the journey is not easy, and neither is it cheap. The Abicca family has started a fund called Team Joey to raise the over $100,000 per year to pay for his rehabilitation costs. Even though the boy is covered by his family's insurance, the company does not cover all of his rehab costs.

The Abiccas have received a tremendous amount of support from their community in the form of benefits, fundraisers, and even garage sales to benefit Joey's progress. We wish Joey a full recovery and will report on any developments in his progress as it becomes available.

References:

Webster, Ruth Marvin. (April 11, 2010) "ENCINITAS: Teen rising to the challenges of spinal cord injury." Retrieved on April 14, 2010 from the North County Times Web site: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/encinitas/article_e9056099-de30-5f5a-8...

Student Athletes Struggle with New Concussion Policies
April 26, 2010 - 8:21pm

Every year, over 90,000 American high school students suffer from sports related concussions. Some authorities have expressed concern over the lack of a national or state level regulatory system for how concussions - mild traumatic brain injuries - get handled by coaches, trainers, teachers, parents, and finally, medical personnel. Colorado ranks among the states without a statewide policy or set of protocols for preventing, diagnosing, and responding to student head injuries, an In Denver Times article reported.

Twenty-five percent of Colorado high schools have no policy about concussions. Of those that do, nearly 20 percent of them state that coaches and or parents have the final say about when the head injured child can return to the game. Doctors and medical officials think this is unacceptable. Even medical professionals have trouble diagnosing concussions. Those with no medical training might not have all the tools they need to make safe decisions regarding the health of their childrens' brains.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital released a study last year that showed that as much as 40 percent of athletes with concussions were returned to play too quickly, the article reported. 'The study found that in the 2007-08 season alone, 15.8 percent of football players who sustained a concussion and lost consciousness returned to play the same day,' In Denver Times noted.

Schools in Douglas County, CO have a well-rounded concussion policy in place and have been sharing their knowledge and experience with other Colorado coaches, trainers, and medical professionals. The head trainer for the Denver Broncos was in attendance at their latest seminar, the article continued. This year, the Colorado High School Association made a ruling, which requires a doctor's approval before students with concussions can return to play.

Washington and Oregon passed laws last year that require all coaches to learn about the dangers of brain injuries and to remove players from the game who have sustained any kind of head injury. Recent studies indicate that a second concussion incurred while healing from the first can lead to death or serious long-term symptoms and complications. These study results have led to changes in athletic concussion policy from the NFL to youth football leagues all over the nation.

References:

Jones, Rebecca. (April 5, 2010) 'Concussions policy fuzzy for student athletes.' Retrieved on April 6, 2010 from the In Denver Times Web site: http://www.indenvertimes.com/concussions-policy-fuzzy-for-student-athlet...