What You Need to Know About the FDA’s Concussion Test Approval

Concussions, sometimes referred to as traumatic brain injuries or TBI for short, have compromised the quality of life of countless kids and adults.  Every single year, millions of people visit hospital emergency rooms after suffering a concussion.  Sadly, the impact of significant head trauma has the potential to last a lifetime.  The timely and accurate diagnosis of a TBI is essential to facilitating recovery.  However, diagnosing concussion injuries is easier said than done.  There are two means of diagnosing TBIs: gauging patient responses pertaining to concussion symptoms including an assessment of the patient’s cognitive function and alternatively, the use of costly CT scans.  Aside from being expensive, CT scans are considered the lesser of the two options as they subject the patient to radiation necessary to generate images of the brain.

Medical Analysis is Shaped by Subjectivity

Assessing patient responses and cognitive ability allows for personal bias to creep in.  There must also be a baseline result as a point of comparison to ensure the conclusion drawn is accurate.  There is also the chance that the assessment will be flawed in that the patients might memorize the anticipated responses to create the impression of proper health.  This issue is especially common among members of the military and athletes looking to avoid extensive time away from work due to head injury.

Recent advancements in the medical field have made it possible for medical professionals to accurately diagnose concussions injuries without the use of biased patient analyses or costly imaging scans that transmit unhealthy radiation.  To be  more specific, the United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved the Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator for use.  This blood test gauges the protein level released into the blood by way of the brain when a TBI occurs.

Consider the recent results of a trial in which 1,900 individuals who suffered a head injury were analyzed.  The forementioned blood test accurately predicted the CT scan would show evidence of brain tissue damage in more than 97% of the cases.  The blood test also determined patients’ CT scans would be void of damage nearly 100% of the time.  The blood test is fairly quick, providing results in a mere three or four hours.  The proteins measured with the blood test are released in less than half a day’s time after the injury occurs, necessitating rapid medical attention and evaluation.

Testing for Concussions With the EyeBOX

The FDA also approved another TBI diagnostic test this past year.  Known as the EyeBOX, this test tracks patient eye movements as a short video plays.  The nuances of patient eye movement are analyzed to determine if the patient has endured a concussion.  This method is revered in that there is no need for a baseline measurement, allowing for its use in hospital emergency rooms and elsewhere.  In short, the EyeBOX is completely unbiased, non-invasive and fast.  The FDA has approved use of the EyeBOX for pediatric settings as well as adults upwards of nearly 70 years of age.  Though EyeBOX does not  have the same stellar accuracy as Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator test, it proves accurate months after the injury occurs, providing an impressive 84% accuracy rate upwards of five months out from the date of injury.

The accurate and timely diagnosis of TBI is essential to ensuring a fast recovery and promoting optimal health.  If the TBI patient returns to regular activities too quickly, particularly when those activities might result in a head injury, it can cause the potentially fatal condition known as second-impact syndrome.  The accurate and timely diagnosis of the TBI, regardless of where it occurs, is necessary to stop patients from going back to work or hitting the field of play too early.  A premature return to work or athletic competition has the potential to result in a lasting disability stemming from subsequent TBI injury or even death.

Be Careful in the Aftermath of a Head Injury

The accurate diagnosis of TBIs is necessary to guarantee the patient has the resources necessary to make a full recovery in a timely manner.  If you have endured a head injury of any type or magnitude, do not participate in an activity that might cause cognitive or visual strain.  Such stresses can delay the healing process and lengthen the period of recovery.  Kids might need additional assistance when attempting to recover from a concussion simply because TBIs can significantly hinder sensory processes and cognition.   If you are the parent of a little one who complains of head pain or dizziness after contact to the head/upper body, provide your child with the necessary attention.  Otherwise, you run the risk of mistaking TBI symptoms for behavioral problems.

Meet with the doctor for a medical analysis of the head trauma and he or she probably won’t rely on a single diagnostic testing method to determine if a TBI has occurred.  Most doctors will consider multiple testing methods to ensure accurate and fast results.  This approach dramatically increases the chances of providing patients with the care necessary for a full and speedy recovery.

TBI Injury?  Contact Schibell & Mennie Today

If you are even slightly suspicious you or your child have suffered a TBI injury, do the smart thing by meeting with our legal team at Schibell & Mennie.  We will analyze your unique injury and determine if there is solid legal footing for a personal injury lawsuit.  Call Richard Schibell at  732-774-1000 to find out more about how we can help you after this unfortunate incident.

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