Updates on Top Gear's Hammond after car accident(Hammond crash pictures released)
09-29-06, 08:04 PM
#31
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
The BBC article is really interesting.
Hammond's next six months unclear
The rapid recovery of Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond after his high-speed car crash has amazed the public and medical experts.
Only nine days after his 300mph jet-powered car crashed during filming, Mr Hammond is walking and talking and off emergency care.
But his progress over the next six months is likely to be much slower and the outcomes less clear, say doctors.
The TV star will continue his recovery at the Bupa hospital in Bristol.
Slow, difficult period to come
Neurosurgeon Stuart Ross, who looked after Mr Hammond at Leeds General Infirmary in the days following his accident, said rest could help Mr Hammond recover from his "brain injury" within months.
But he said: "There comes a period now which is unfortunately slow and is difficult to get through."
He was hopeful that, with time, Mr Hammond would "be back to his old self".
Uncertainty
Dr John Freeland, consultant neurosurgeon from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, said it was too early too tell what the long-term future would hold.
In high speed crashes, the passenger's body goes from travelling extremely fast to a sudden halt. The body and head are thrown forwards and back, and the brain follows, striking the bony skull.
"We can assume that most of the damage was to the white matter - the communication wires of the brain. Doctors call this diffuse axonal injury.
"These take a beating in these high-speed accidents when the brain is decelerating. The brain is stretched and these communication fibres break up and the cells die off.
He said structures at the front of the brain would be bruised and damaged, where the brain hits the uneven inner surface of the skull above the eyes.
"The brain is soft and gelatinous - its consistency is something between jelly and cooked pasta.
"It is well designed to sustain a direct blow but our genes never imagined we would be travelling at these super-high speeds."
He said that high speed motor vehicle accidents were particularly dangerous because the brain could suffer injuries when the head rotates during the crash.
"Studies show it takes 10 times less force if the brain is able to rotate in these injuries to create the same amount of brain damage.
"Mr Hammond was lucky because he was in a seven-point restraint system rather than a three-point system that most of us drivers are used to, and his helmet was strapped to restrain the head and stop the rotation."
Also, the fact that the car rolled rather than crashing into a stationary object, such as a brick wall, may have lessened the blow, he said.
The nature of Mr Hammond's brain injuries thankfully mean that functions such as speech, movement and breathing were unaffected, said Dr Freeland.
The frontal lobe is critical for more subtle functions, like personality and ability to make judgements.
Brain damage
"The difficulty with these diffuse white matter injuries is often the big challenges aren't so much walking and talking, but losing quickness and mental flexibility and a some of the personality and character features that we develop from the age of 12 onwards.
"The big question is always how some of those characteristics survive such an injury."
Dr Freeland said he had seen patients with similar brain injuries recover from comas with very little lasting damage. But he said he had seen others with lasting changes.
He said the focus of Mr Hammond's treatment over the next six months would be rehabilitation - making sure his balance is back and he is able to do learned everyday activities that people tend to take for granted, such as doing up buttons.
He said doctors would also be monitoring Mr Hammonds cognitive and emotional state.
"Character and personality changes are fairly pervasive with motor vehicle accidents," he said, but added that the brain was changeable or "plastic" and repaired itself over time to varying extents.
"Much of the wiring of the frontal lobes occurs in puberty. Some of the hardware systems are maturing through to our 20s. The software - developing our self-awareness and how to fit into the social fabric - is very gradual, over decades.
"Recovery from these injuries does continue, but it takes time," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...th/5392296.stm
Hammond's next six months unclear
The rapid recovery of Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond after his high-speed car crash has amazed the public and medical experts.
Only nine days after his 300mph jet-powered car crashed during filming, Mr Hammond is walking and talking and off emergency care.
But his progress over the next six months is likely to be much slower and the outcomes less clear, say doctors.
The TV star will continue his recovery at the Bupa hospital in Bristol.
Slow, difficult period to come
Neurosurgeon Stuart Ross, who looked after Mr Hammond at Leeds General Infirmary in the days following his accident, said rest could help Mr Hammond recover from his "brain injury" within months.
But he said: "There comes a period now which is unfortunately slow and is difficult to get through."
He was hopeful that, with time, Mr Hammond would "be back to his old self".
Uncertainty
Dr John Freeland, consultant neurosurgeon from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, said it was too early too tell what the long-term future would hold.
In high speed crashes, the passenger's body goes from travelling extremely fast to a sudden halt. The body and head are thrown forwards and back, and the brain follows, striking the bony skull.
"We can assume that most of the damage was to the white matter - the communication wires of the brain. Doctors call this diffuse axonal injury.
"These take a beating in these high-speed accidents when the brain is decelerating. The brain is stretched and these communication fibres break up and the cells die off.
He said structures at the front of the brain would be bruised and damaged, where the brain hits the uneven inner surface of the skull above the eyes.
"The brain is soft and gelatinous - its consistency is something between jelly and cooked pasta.
"It is well designed to sustain a direct blow but our genes never imagined we would be travelling at these super-high speeds."
He said that high speed motor vehicle accidents were particularly dangerous because the brain could suffer injuries when the head rotates during the crash.
"Studies show it takes 10 times less force if the brain is able to rotate in these injuries to create the same amount of brain damage.
"Mr Hammond was lucky because he was in a seven-point restraint system rather than a three-point system that most of us drivers are used to, and his helmet was strapped to restrain the head and stop the rotation."
Also, the fact that the car rolled rather than crashing into a stationary object, such as a brick wall, may have lessened the blow, he said.
The nature of Mr Hammond's brain injuries thankfully mean that functions such as speech, movement and breathing were unaffected, said Dr Freeland.
The frontal lobe is critical for more subtle functions, like personality and ability to make judgements.
Brain damage
"The difficulty with these diffuse white matter injuries is often the big challenges aren't so much walking and talking, but losing quickness and mental flexibility and a some of the personality and character features that we develop from the age of 12 onwards.
"The big question is always how some of those characteristics survive such an injury."
Dr Freeland said he had seen patients with similar brain injuries recover from comas with very little lasting damage. But he said he had seen others with lasting changes.
He said the focus of Mr Hammond's treatment over the next six months would be rehabilitation - making sure his balance is back and he is able to do learned everyday activities that people tend to take for granted, such as doing up buttons.
He said doctors would also be monitoring Mr Hammonds cognitive and emotional state.
"Character and personality changes are fairly pervasive with motor vehicle accidents," he said, but added that the brain was changeable or "plastic" and repaired itself over time to varying extents.
"Much of the wiring of the frontal lobes occurs in puberty. Some of the hardware systems are maturing through to our 20s. The software - developing our self-awareness and how to fit into the social fabric - is very gradual, over decades.
"Recovery from these injuries does continue, but it takes time," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...th/5392296.stm
09-29-06, 11:07 PM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Los Angeles/Vancouver
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the show is postponed indefinately by BBC and they will see how well he does in the near future to see if they should do the show with hammond or without
i really hope he can recover without much lasting effects
i really hope he can recover without much lasting effects
10-27-06, 10:11 PM
#33
Super Moderator
First picture of Richard Hammond up and out of hospital
Richard Hammond with his wife Mindy and one of his daughters
Top Gear's Hammond looks 'fighting fit' as he strolls with family
Last updated at 09:02am on 27th October 2006
Strolling in the sunshine with his wife and daughter it is hard to believe that only five weeks ago Richard Hammond was fighting for his life.
The Top Gear star showed he was continuing to go from strength to strength as he went on his first family outing.
An onlooker said: "He looked amazing. He looked fighting fit and as if he was back to his old self again."
Hammond, who almost died after a high-speed car crash, took a shopping trip close to his home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire with his wife Mindy, 35, and one of his young daughters.
This week he revealed how he was left "utterly bonkers" by injuries from the accident, which happened as he was trying break the 300mph British land speed record.
The father of two said that the damage to his brain caused him "terrifying mental anguish."
He told how he had "flatlined" in hospital as he hovered near death and has repeatedly burst into tears and suffered "private breakdowns" since the crash.
Hammond, 36, was left in a coma after the Vampire rocket car he was driving at 288mph suddenly careered off the track and flipped over several times at Elvington airfield, near York.
It is thought a tyre may have burst.
The television star was taken by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary where doctors battled to save his life.
However the day after the accident Hammond, who is nicknamed Hamster by his co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, astonished friends and colleagues when he managed a smile.
And 30 hours after the accident he took his first faltering steps.
Hammond has attributed his speedy recovery to the brain-healing powers of Lego.
"The doctor was amazed at how good I am at it. It's really good therapy for a brain injury. Brilliant for spacial awareness," he said in an interview with the Daily Mirror.
Last updated at 09:02am on 27th October 2006
Strolling in the sunshine with his wife and daughter it is hard to believe that only five weeks ago Richard Hammond was fighting for his life.
The Top Gear star showed he was continuing to go from strength to strength as he went on his first family outing.
An onlooker said: "He looked amazing. He looked fighting fit and as if he was back to his old self again."
Hammond, who almost died after a high-speed car crash, took a shopping trip close to his home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire with his wife Mindy, 35, and one of his young daughters.
This week he revealed how he was left "utterly bonkers" by injuries from the accident, which happened as he was trying break the 300mph British land speed record.
The father of two said that the damage to his brain caused him "terrifying mental anguish."
He told how he had "flatlined" in hospital as he hovered near death and has repeatedly burst into tears and suffered "private breakdowns" since the crash.
Hammond, 36, was left in a coma after the Vampire rocket car he was driving at 288mph suddenly careered off the track and flipped over several times at Elvington airfield, near York.
It is thought a tyre may have burst.
The television star was taken by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary where doctors battled to save his life.
However the day after the accident Hammond, who is nicknamed Hamster by his co-presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May, astonished friends and colleagues when he managed a smile.
And 30 hours after the accident he took his first faltering steps.
Hammond has attributed his speedy recovery to the brain-healing powers of Lego.
"The doctor was amazed at how good I am at it. It's really good therapy for a brain injury. Brilliant for spacial awareness," he said in an interview with the Daily Mirror.
10-27-06, 10:16 PM
#34
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Los Angeles/Vancouver
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
also he said he played with legos bought by james during his recovery
that helped him with spatial orientation and greatly improved his brain recovery
looks like +1 for LEGOs!!
also he said when he didnt remember his name, he still remembered how much HP and what the engine size is for the Panani Zonda
lol, only a top gear presenter can be like that
lets hope he recovers fully soon
oh top gear will be back early january
http://www.finalgear.com/
that helped him with spatial orientation and greatly improved his brain recovery
looks like +1 for LEGOs!!
also he said when he didnt remember his name, he still remembered how much HP and what the engine size is for the Panani Zonda
lol, only a top gear presenter can be like that
lets hope he recovers fully soon
oh top gear will be back early january
http://www.finalgear.com/
Last edited by UberNoob; 10-27-06 at 10:20 PM.
01-18-07, 06:39 AM
#38
Super Moderator
Hammond crash pictures released
Hammond amazed doctors with his fast recovery.
Pictures of the high-speed crash involving Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond have been published for the first time since the accident.
The 36-year-old crashed a jet-powered dragster at 288mph while filming a stunt for the BBC TV show, at Elvington airfield in York last September.
The photos, which feature in Top Gear magazine, show a tyre bursting and the dragster skidding before flipping over.
Hammond was treated for serious brain injury, but made a remarkable recovery.
However, the father-of-two admits he has hardly any recollection of the crash.
"I will have taken a few deep breaths on the start line as the engine roared and my thumb hovered over the afterburner switch," he told Top Gear magazine.
"Then I will have hit it and 10,000 horsepower will have hurled me towards the horizon and up to 280mph. The rest is, I'm afraid, history," he added.
In December, Hammond gave his first TV interview on Jonathan Ross's chat show and said he was looking forward to returning to the BBC show.
Video footage of the crash will be broadcast in the first episode of the new series of Top Gear on 28 January, according to the magazine.
Hammond amazed doctors with his fast recovery.
Pictures of the high-speed crash involving Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond have been published for the first time since the accident.
The 36-year-old crashed a jet-powered dragster at 288mph while filming a stunt for the BBC TV show, at Elvington airfield in York last September.
The photos, which feature in Top Gear magazine, show a tyre bursting and the dragster skidding before flipping over.
Hammond was treated for serious brain injury, but made a remarkable recovery.
However, the father-of-two admits he has hardly any recollection of the crash.
"I will have taken a few deep breaths on the start line as the engine roared and my thumb hovered over the afterburner switch," he told Top Gear magazine.
"Then I will have hit it and 10,000 horsepower will have hurled me towards the horizon and up to 280mph. The rest is, I'm afraid, history," he added.
In December, Hammond gave his first TV interview on Jonathan Ross's chat show and said he was looking forward to returning to the BBC show.
Video footage of the crash will be broadcast in the first episode of the new series of Top Gear on 28 January, according to the magazine.
.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
