Anoxic Brain Injury and Hypoxic Brain Injury

Cerebral anoxia and cerebral hypoxia

Anoxia and hypoxia are both terms that refer to the lack of oxygen to the brain. Many times these terms are used interchangeably.  It is a matter of degree with anoxia referring to brain damage caused by a total lack of oxygen to the brain and hypoxia referring to a decrease or limited amount of oxygen reaching the brain.

Causes of anoxic brain trauma & hypoxic brain trauma

Anoxic brain injury as well as hypoxic brain injury can be can be caused by brain trauma as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, choking, suffocation, head trauma, severe bleeding, drops in blood pressure and stroke.

Anesthesia errors and other surgical errors are also frequently causes of diminished blood supply to the brain resulting in anoxic brain damage.  Brain damage as a result of lack of oxygen is also seen in newborns, frequently as a result of medical negligence in the delivery of the baby.

Brain Injury Attorneys with knowledge and experience

 

The brain injury attorneys who are members of the American Academy of Brain Injury Attorneys are familiar with brain damage caused by anoxia and hypoxia and the causes of these devastating brain injuries.  The brain injury academy members are prepared to provide legal assistance when these conditions were caused by negligence or medical malpractice.

Signs and symptoms of cerebral anoxia and cerebral hypoxia

The symptoms of brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation depend on the degree and the length of time that the brain has been deprived of oxygen.

Frequently individuals will be inattentive, will suffer from poor judgment, and will have memory loss and poor motor coordination.  If the lack of oxygen to the brain lasts for several minutes, an individual’s brain cells will begin to die resulting in permanent brain damage, coma, seizures or even death.

Treatment for anoxia and hypoxia

The treatment for anoxia and hypoxia involves restoring an individual’s blood pressure and the supply of oxygen to the brain.  It may also involve blood transfusions, administration of oxygen and medication to control seizure activity.

The brain damage that takes place following cerebral anoxia and cerebral hypoxia

The extent of brain damage depends on the how long the brain was deprived of oxygen.  It is well known that it only takes a few minutes of oxygen deprivation for brain cells to begin to die.

The longer the brain has been starved from receiving necessary oxygen, the greater the degree of injury to the brain or chance of coma or death.  Persons who recover from oxygen loss frequently have memory loss, personality changes, behavioral changes, amnesia, hallucinations and muscle damage.

Unfortunately, where there has been significant oxygen loss, the brain is severely damaged resulting in coma.  Since the brain damage is extremely severe, the prospects for a good recovery are very limited.

Contact an experienced brain injury attorney

The members of the American Academy of Brain Injury are experienced in representing individuals and their families for the long lasting brain damage that may occur when the brain is deprived of needed oxygen.

Our brain injury lawyers have successfully handled cases of brain injury caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning and head trauma.  We have successfully represented individuals whose coma and life lasting brain injury resulted from a lack of oxygen as a result of medical malpractice including anesthesia malpractice, obstetrical malpractice and surgical malpractice.

You can obtain further information and request legal assistance for your brain injury case by contacting our President, Michael V. Kaplen, Esq. toll free at 1-866 BRAIN LAW or by e mail: michael@brainlaw.com