Seattle Seahawks safety Ken Hamlin is in the hospital in critical condition. He is suffering from a skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. Ken Hamlin received this injury in a fight outside a night club. Not much is known about the fight itself, except that Ken may have brain damage.
What is a subdural hematoma? A subdural hematoma is a pooling of the blood between the outer protection of the brain called the dura and the middle layer of protection called the arachnoid. Basically it’s a blood pool that is exerting pressure on the brain.
How bad is a subdural hematoma? It depends on the severity of the injury. Subdural hematomas are broken into three classifications, chronic, subacute and acute.
How do you know if you have a subdural hematoma? The diagnosis for a subdural hematoma includes the following:
- MRI of the brain
- CT scan of the brain
- Neurological examination
What are the symptoms of a subdural hematoma?
- recent head injury
- consciousness issues
- seizures
- numbness
- headaches that won’t go away
- confusion
- memory loss
- feeling weak/lethargic
- vomiting or upset stomach
- trouble speaking slurring of speech
How is a subdural hematoma treated? If the subdural hematoma is small then the body will repair itself. The subdural hematoma should be monitored for growth and symptoms watched. If the subdural hematoma is larger or in a critical area, brain surgery may be recommended. The surgeon will open the skull and drain the affected area.
Recovery time depends on the procedures to correct the subdural hematoma. Some physical or occupational therapy may be needed if brain damaged occurred.