After Bob Saget’s death, a local neurologist gives advice on head trauma

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - On Thursday, a medical examiner in Florida confirmed comedian and Full House star Bob Saget died as a result of an accidental blow to the head, likely from an “unwitnessed fall.”

The actor was found dead in a hotel room in Orlando on January 9.

Saget’s death serves as a reminder that even head trauma that may seem mild could require medical attention.

Dr. Roham Moftakhar, Chief of Neurosurgery at Prisma Health Midlands, said that these types of injuries are more common than you may think.

He says they see a lot of patients at the hospital who have fallen, and it’s always important to err on the side of caution in these scenarios.

“Falls do happen and it does really depend on the impact but if there are signs of worsening headache, there are signs that neurologically the state of health is declining, do not wait,” Moftakhar said. “Call 911, go to the emergency room. It’s the safest thing.”

Moftakhar said to seek medical attention after a blow to the head if you see warning signs like worsening headaches, nausea, blurry vision or facial droop.

“And I’m not advocating that anyone who falls needs to all of a sudden rush to the emergency room, that is not it,” he said. “You could assess, see if your symptoms are getting worse, but if they are, do not just go to sleep.”

This is because swelling can progress over time during what’s known as the lucid interval.

“It could be a slow bleed that actually is taking place and you go to sleep, you’re not aware of it and the bleeding has worsened to a point where it’s putting a lot of pressure on the brain, causing massive swelling,” Moftakhar said.

Some are at higher risk of complications from head trauma, including people on blood thinners, those who take aspirin regularly and seniors.

“As we age generally speaking the brain does shrink, get smaller, the space between the brain and the skull increases, so the veins which are called the bridging veins, they tend to leak more blood,” Moftakhar said.

Overall, Moftakhar said, if you hit your head, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Have it checked out and if it’s negative, we send you home,” he said.

Moftakhar also explained what happens to your brain in these instances.

“Essentially your brain is sitting in a closed box called your skull,” he said. “When you fall, you hit your head, the brain essentially has an impact with your skull inside of your skull. It starts bruising. The bruising essentially becomes swollen, there could be little microbleeds or small bleeds that happen in the brain, and further worsens the situation leading to more swelling.”

As the brain swells, it can lead to increased pressure in the head. As this pressure mounts, it can cause lower heart rates, higher blood pressure, among other symptoms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States sees roughly 1.5 million traumatic brain injuries every year. In 2019, there were more than 60,000 deaths due to head trauma.

Copyright 2022 WIS. All rights reserved.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article’s headline.