Brain injury research may alter transfusions for those afflicted
Posted on October 3, 2015 in Brain Injury
Though physical activities, like sports, may showcase the durability of the human body, we are actually quite fragile. A seemingly minor blow to the head can cause a significant brain injury that might result in headaches, memory loss or permanent disability. While the risks associated with a brain injury are quite severe, there are also dangers associated with treatment of such injuries.
Researchers at Baylor University recently conducted a study in an attempt to find safer ways to treat brain injury sufferers. Blood transfusions are a common way to treat brain injuries, and they are often administered when a victim’s hemoglobin level reaches 10 g/dl. However, other critically ill individuals without brain injuries are typically only given blood transfusions when their hemoglobin levels reach 7 g/dl. The study found that there was no benefit to administering transfusions once hemoglobin dropped to 10 g/dl, rather than 7 g/dl, which means the risk of dangerous side effects caused in patients may be drastically reduced.
Despite the ongoing research being conducted on traumatic brain injuries, the fact remains that victims have a difficult road ahead of them. In addition to the physical impairment they may suffer, victims might also face emotional damage and extreme financial loss. Treating a brain injury can be very costly, and, when coupled with lost wages due to an inability to work, it can be financially debilitating.
Those who have suffered a brain injury caused by the negligence of another can seek to recover some of these damages by filing a lawsuit. Whether the injury was suffered during a car accident, a slip-and-fall or any other type of incident, an attorney may be able to help a victim recover compensation to help him or her obtain the medical care needed to reach as full a recovery as possible.
Source: Baylor College of Medicine News, “Study finds safer treatment options for traumatic brain injuries,” Graciela Gutierrez, July 1, 2014