Manhattan

Published on: May 1, 2012

In a recent study of over 1,000 NFL players, 60 to 70 percent have received at least one concussion during their career

by Stephen Bilkis

One of the last requests former NFL player Dave Duerson made before taking his own life was that his brain by studied to help other players suffering from the same depression, memory loss and thoughts of suicide that plagued his life. Duerson took his own life after dealing with years of depression. Duerson wanted researchers to determine if he suffered from chronictraumatic encephalopathy. This disease, which may be caused by concussions, is considered a degenerative disease, which means that it only gets worse over time.

In a recent study, in Long Island and Manhattan, of over 1,000 NFL players, 60 to 70 percent have received at least one concussion during their career. Many former players complain of memory loss, depression and suicidal thoughts similar to Duerson. Some players have committed suicide while others live with painful neurological complications for the rest of their lives. In addition to the number of NFL players who have suffered painful injuries and long-term illnesses resulting from repeated concussions, it has been estimated that 50 high school football players have died or suffered permanent injuries over the past 10 years.

Dr. Daniel Amen, a respected neurologist and host of his own PBS show, says that football players will have to learn how to play the game without causing injuries to the heads of other players. This may mean learning new ways to tackle players. Dr. Amen states that better protective equipment may not fully protect players from concussions and other spinal injuries. He went on to say that while change is never easy, players will have to develop new ways of playing the game. Permanent change occurs when the brain creates new neural pathways. Once these new pathways are created, new habits may be learned.

Published on: April 23, 2012

Surgery Reportedly Reduces Risk of Death in Spinal Injury Patients

by Stephen Bilkis

New figures show that back injurypatients are far less likely to die if they are operated on. The research presented at a conference suggests that surgery reduces the likelihood of death by up to 44% of spinal fracture sufferers. This study is in comparison to those who are just given bed rest and painkillers.

In the pioneering procedure, balloons are inserted into the fractures before the cavity is filled with bone cement; it is shown to have high survival rates. Experts in Manhattan and Long Island working with the study say that the first thing they want to prove is the benefits of the surgery in spinal fractures, and it will lead to better future treatments.

The Consultant Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeon at Croydon University Hospital said: “We’ve known for a long time about the benefits of minimally invasive surgical intervention in the reduction of pain but this is the first time we seem to have robust data showing that it can highly contribute to saving lives. Treating vertebral fractures by balloon kyphoplasty is cost effective and prevents people from lingering in pain. We now have even more compelling reasons to make sure that this procedure becomes the standard of care for spinal fractures and ensure more patients have access to it.”

Published on: March 10, 2012

Most car collisions that cause injuries happen unintentionally

by Stephen Bilkis

Most car collisions that cause injuries happen unintentionally. Insurance policies provide people with buffer from incidental economic costs that may arise from these car collisions and injuries. Insurance providers require that car collisions be accidental. Any deliberate incident that caused cervical spinal injuries to other people is not considered covered under insurance policies.

Sometimes, though, other people may use these incidents as excuses to benefit from insurance claims. Having said that, when people stage incidents and make them look like they happened intentionally, then these deliberate incidents fall outside the “no-fault” policy of insurance companies and these people who staged the incident will not be entitled to insurance claims. Not surprisingly, as noted by our , accidents or car collisions that are not covered by insurance are mostly staged to obtain insurance claims fraudulently.

This case is about a staged incident that happened on May 2001; the Plaintiffs were involved in a car collision in a 1985 Nissan, owned and insured by Victor Herasme. He claimed that he always lent his car to acquaintances and friends. Moreover, he also stated that he has been involved in an accident using the car in January 2001 and just prior to the accident on May 2001. According to Herasme, Carlos Gaviria borrowed the car and when he returned the vehicle, there was a small scratch. When he asked Gaviria about the scratch, he quickly dismissed it and said that a car had scraped it but no additional details were given. Herasme also stated that they were casual acquaintances and knows Gaviria as “Carlos” and Gaviria knows him as “Victor”. When the Defendant questioned Gaviria under oath, he denied ever knowing Victor Herasme and stated that he borrowed the car from “Jose”.

Published on: February 6, 2012

California Company Announces Stem Cell Trial to Treat Spinal Cord Injuries

by Stephen Bilkis

Stem Cells, Inc. has announced the initiation of a clinical trial that will see the implantation of stem cells into patients with spinal cord injuries, a reporter learned today. The study in which the first phase will last one year, is currently open for enrollment and will include 12 patients whose spinal cord injuries like herniated discs are chronic and have occurred within varying periods of three and 12 months ago.

This is a landmark study in hospitals in Long Island and Manhattan and seeks to treat those patients who by the definition of chronic have “reached a plateau in their recovery,” and are less likely to experience increased function. This level is normally reached several months after the spinal injury occurred, sources told a relative. If successful, the long-term impacts of this study would give those patients who would have run out of available options for further treatment and rehabilitation.

It has long been recognized that spinal cells attempt to regenerate, but are unable to proceed beyond a certain point without some measure of intervention. Scientists have assisted with some regeneration by providing nutrition directly to the spinal cells. This clinical trial will attempt a new approach. Both California based Stem Cells and the doctors are hoping that the implantation of stem cells will induce the spinal cord cells to grow on their own. It is expected that if this is successful that there should be an improvement in the patient’s sensory and motor function, as well as other bodily functions such as bowel and bladder.

Published on: January 21, 2012

Tasered Man Dies from Broken Neck in Washington

by Stephen Bilkis

A man in Washington State was determined to have died from a broken neck after being tasered by sheriff’s deputies. When he fell, he suffered the spinal injuryand died a week later, at the age of 68.

The Washington man was shot with the taser only after a stand-off of several hours. The man fell when struck by the taser and it was then that he broke his neck. The Sherriff’s Office maintains the deputies all acted according to policy and the broken neck was simply a terrible and completely unforeseen accident.

The medical examiner told officials that the official cause of death was, in fact, spinal cord injury due to cervical spine fractures caused by blunt face and neck injury.

Published on: January 7, 2012

Rehabilitation after Treatment is just as Important as the Surgery

by Stephen Bilkis

Healing only begins with the surgery to the lumbar area in the thoracic spine. Rehabilitation is an important part of getting the individual back into the swing of things, a doctor said. Their life will never be as it was in the past, but rehabilitation can help make the transition easier.

Rehabilitation must address every aspect of the individual’s life from their home, work, school, and community life. The rehabilitation will depend on the severity of the spinal injury and the extent the spinal cord is affected. The fracture must be considered before rehabilitation is begun. The body must be well enough to relearn, a recent study stated.

Some areas will need to be more thoroughly addressed than others are. Rehabilitation is about relearning and doing the activities to the best of the individual’s ability. Motor, sensory, autonomic function, psychosocial, and occupational incidences are all addressed.

Published on: January 2, 2012

Medical providers often have to prescribe opiates to the soldiers who suffer back injuries due to their gear

by Stephen Bilkis

A 130-pound staff sergeant served in Afghanistan, typically carrying armor and gear that weighed between 80 and 90 pounds, inspectors have learned. The sergeant suffered a pinched nerve while carrying his gear during a tour in Iraq. He also sustained a cracked vertebra while in the United States. Then, in Afghanistan, he fell from a roof while wearing all his gear and injured his shoulder.

The sergeant described the pain to a doctor as bone-on-bone grinding. Little by little, he began to drop some of his gear, like extra batteries, three of his seven ammo magazines, and started using a lighter rifle.

At least, he went back to Washington state weeks early with other injured soldiers. He had to undergo spinal-fusion surgery and a ruptured disc was removed from his spine.

Published on: December 28, 2011

A U.S. Army Science Board study from 2001 recommended that soldiers should carry no more than 50 pounds for any length of time

by Stephen Bilkis

A U.S. Army Science Board study from 2001 recommended that soldiers should carry no more than 50 pounds for any length of time. The Army chief of staff agreed, and hoped to reach that goal by 2010. Unfortunately, studies have learned that soldiers carry much more than that, even today.

The simple weight that all soldiers must carry is leading to a number of musculoskeletal injuries that erodes the readiness of the military. The wars will someday come to an end, but these spinal injuries could remain for a lifetime and cost a great deal of money and time to treat, according to doctors.

A study by a John Hopkins University and two others in Manhattan and Long Island researched revealed that nearly a third of all medical evacuations from Iraq and Afghanistan from 2004 to 2007 were due to musculoskeletal, connective-tissue, or spinal injuries. Experts estimate that is around double the number of evacuations from combat injuries. The number of soldiers who were retired from the Army due to musculoskeletal conditions increased almost ten times from 2003 to 2009.

Published on: December 15, 2011

Football player with spinal cord injuries returns to playing

by Stephen Bilkis

While spinal cord injuries can be devastating and often life-altering, some people have managed to come back from being injured to continue on with their lives. This particular football player did and isn’t shy about telling others about his experiences. He sustained a spinal bruise last year and swore that no matter what, he would get back on the field, said the observer. He lived up to that promise to himself and is now lifting weights and running.

At the age of 33 years, many classify that as too old to be playing the brutal game of football, but that did not stop this man. Others thought it was time he packed it in. He figured otherwise and proved everyone wrong. Spinal bruising or cervical injury are serious injuries and if a player continues to play, he runs the very real risk of sustaining an even worse injury, explained the doctor. Fortunately, this footballer’s spinal cord healed well, and surgery was not necessary.

Not everyone is that fortunate. Those who have suffered a severe spinal cord injury, as the result of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation, suggested the expert in the field.

Published on: November 30, 2011

The heavy equipment he had to carry while in Afghanistan only made his injuries worse.

by Stephen Bilkis

Spinal cord injury doctors know as well as anyone that foot soldiers often face injuries to their muscles and bones in the course of their regular duties. The great weight of their equipment only exacerbates the problems, making minor injuries worse and creating new injuries that will never completely heal.

Noncommissioned officers who have been through multiple tours in a combat zone are often the ones who suffer from these strains like herniated discs the most, according to doctors. These are also the ones who are most likely to feel loyalty to their units and they refuse to let younger and less experienced soldiers who have fewer injuries take their place.

“I had a choice. But I couldn’t leave my squad behind just before they were being deployed,” a staff sergeant from Joint Base Louis-McChord told a reporter. The sergeant served in Afghanistan for a year, even though he had injuries to his arm and rotator cuff.