bob saget's death a reminder of the dangers of head trauma

“the authorities have determined that bob passed from head trauma,” saget’s family released in a statement . “they have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. no drugs or alcohol were involved.”

chief medical examiner dr. joshua stephany also confirmed the findings thursday, ruling that the comedian’s death was an accident and “the result of blunt head trauma.” the autopsy report indicates that saget had a subdural hematoma (a buildup of blood on the brain), abrasions on the back of his head, and fractures at the base of his skull and around his eye sockets.

the star of the serial comedy full house was found unresponsive at the at the ritz-carlton orlando, grande lakes, on january 9. he was 65.

subdural hematoma

a subdural hematoma occurs when blood pools between the layers of tissue that protect the brain. between these layers, called the meninges, is cerebrospinal fluid, which helps protect and cushion the brain from the hard walls of the skull. when a blood vessel in the outer layers of the meninges breaks, blood begins to pool and puts pressure on the delicate brain tissue, which can cause serious damage.

according to the mayo clinic, the symptoms associated with a subdural hematoma in adults include; a constant headache, confusion, drowsiness, nausea, abnormal vision, slurred speech, dizziness, loss of coordination or balance, and memory loss or disorientation.

head injuries also depend on the individual’s physiology; an impact one person may walk away from, may cause a traumatic injury to another. there’s also no real threshold to determine what will cause significant damage. while the temple is the area of the head most susceptible to damage in a head impact, there’s just as much risk when dealing with a blow to the back of the head as to the front.

those with the highest risks of developing subdural hematoma include athletes in contact sports, older adults (as the meninges may tear more easily), hemophiliacs and patients on blood thinners ( including aspirin ). those who drink excessively are also at a greater risk, as liver damage caused by alcohol abuse may lead to poor blood clotting.

when a small hit is a big deal

dr. donato pacione, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at nyu langone, told vice that blows to the head often pose serious risk, particularly for people over 60, who are more likely to develop a bleed that’s life-threatening.

‘we ask everyone to remember the love bob brought to the world’