Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 8/8/2008

Question
I'm Ashok, my brother involved in a car accident on 28th June, 2008. Soon after the accident happened, around half an hour he could not see anything. After he was normal. He admitted to a hospital for first aid and for stitch on his forehead later. 4 days passed. He traveled by Flight 2.5 hours to another country for further treatment. He is admitted to the hospital.They made a CT scan also. He seems normal
and went toilet himself and had tea. Then he gone to bed. After some time the duty nurse noticed that he was snoring. Immediately they moved him to the ventilator. After the doctor said his brain is dead due to brain stem bleeding and pressure in the brain.
But he was conscious all these days, and suddenly how his brain
dead?

Answer
Ashok,

First, please allow me to express my condolences for the loss of your brother.

If I understand your question correctly, you would like to know if your brother's apparent brain hemorrhage was associated with the trauma of an automobile accident which occurred four days prior to his death.

Brain hemorrhages and stroke may certainly be associated with trauma, but they may also result from other disease conditions, such as long-standing, uncontrolled high blood pressure, the rupture of pre-existing aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and other diseases of blood vessels.

An area at the back of the brain called the cerebellum, which is largely responsible for coordination, places the patient at a high risk of death if it is involved in hemorrhaging. The cerebellum may herniate, causing loss of consciousness, inability to breath, and death. Typically, though, there are other symptoms that are associated with cerebellar or brain stain hemorrhaging, including loss of coordination when walking, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, paralysis, difficulty swallowing and breathing, and visual changes such as double vision or rapid, involuntary eye movements. Bleeding in other areas of the brain may produce similar symptoms and also include severe headache, other neurological changes, and convulsions resulting from seizures in the brain.

It is impossible for me to comment on whether or not his brain stem bleeding was a result of the car accident or other factors.

I am again sorry for your loss.