Guardian UK: Gabrielle Giffords shooting: Survival factors after gunshot wound to head

[snagglepuss]

Source Guardian UK

Gabrielle Giffords shooting: Survival factors after gunshot wound to head


snip


If the victim survives the initial blood loss, the problem then becomes the increasing pressure inside the skull. "The blood supply to the brain reduces but also the blood which is coming out of the vessels causes pressure within this confined space of the skull," said Husain. "And, if the bullet itself goes through the brain structure, there is a massive inflammatory reaction, so you get a lot of swelling in the brain and that's another big cause for death."

snip

For the next few days, doctors will monitor the pressure in her skull and look for any other potential sources of increasing pressure. "The experience of intensive care is that things can suddenly take a turn for the worse without any warning. I would say that you'd have to wait at least a week before you're starting to become confident about the future. And that doesn't take into account the cognitive future. So far, we're just talking about survival."


The left hemisphere in most people is responsible for language, cognition and abstract thought. The back portion also contains the occipital lobe, where visual information is processed for the right-hand field of view. Any of these functions could be affected in the long term but doctors will not be able to assess these problems for several more weeks.


"Cognitive testing requires someone to be alert enough," said Husain. "It is unrealistic to talk about cognitive future either from looking at scans or seeing whether she can move her foot. I'd be far more guarded about that."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/10/gabrielle-giffords-shooting-gunshot-wound

[Skittles]

1. they're saying she is not out of the woods yet

years ago a friend of mine suffered a brain aneurysm - he wasn't conscious but responded to simple commands (if you can hear me, squeeze my hand.....wiggle your foot) - but in a couple of days it stopped, and he ultimately passed away

[snagglepuss]

2. That is grim to hear your friend didn't make it through even though he

was responding. It seems that if she survives the prospects of her having anywhere near normal brain function is remote :(

[Rex]

3. Let us all hope that somehow we are wrong and she will recover

enough to put her life back together. At least I will.

[madokie]

7. I'll be hanging in there with you Rex

I don't pray but I do have hope.

[Skittles]

4. it was very sad

this guy had been at one of those offender boot camps - he wasn't a serious criminal but had some problems with the law and was sentenced to one of those programs - he was doing well but one day they were out in the Texas heat doing some kind of chores and when they returned inside, he said he felt dizzy, had a headache, and asked for a pain reliever. He was given some Tylenol, then shortly after lost consciousness. The people around him felt it might be heatstroke (not a bad assumption) and tried to cool him off in the shower. When that failed to awaken him, an ambulance was called. I believe he died six or seven days later; he never actually woke up although he did initially respond to simple commands. I remember how they had openings in his skull for swelling. He was 26. :(

[emilyg]

5. How very sad.

[PoliticAverse]

6. The surgeons removed part of Giffords' skull in order to reduce any pressure on her brain. n/t