Why Sam Vasquez Died: Subdural Hemorrhage

by Luke Thomas on Apr 8, 2008 11:22 AM EDT in MMA News

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office did the research and Steve Sievert explains what this means:

The official ruling from the medical examiner's office stated that Vasquez died of "complications from blunt trauma to the head with subdural hemorrhage." Due to a significant backlog of cases at the medical examiner's office, it took four months to complete the necessary tests to determine definitively the cause of death.

A subdural hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel bursts and blood builds up between the brain and its outer lining, which exerts pressure on the brain.

Most subdural hemorrhages are triggered by impact to the head, resulting from a car accident or severe fall. It's an injury rarely seen in mixed martial arts.

"This type of injury is common in the 'regular world,' say when a person falls and hits their head, especially someone on a blood thinner. But in combat sports, this injury is very, very rare," said Dr. Johnny Benjamin, chief of orthopedic surgery at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Fla., and a sports-medicine specialist who's consulted with a number of fighters.

Benjamin says fighters put themselves at increased risk for brain injuries by taking anti-inflammatory drugs, even over-the-counter (OTCs) medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. This class of drugs thins the blood, which heightens the chance that a severe blow to the head could cause a subdural hemorrhage, which is bleeding on the brain.

Sievert's post goes on later to quote a doctor who explained that this type of injury is rare in MMA as compared to boxing. All things considered, you don't want to speculate beyond what medical professionals can tell you is and isn't likely. But the mind wanders. Vasquez was 35 and perhaps was taking some OTC that thinned his blood. But perhaps not. A full autopsy apparently is coming that will indicate if Vasquez was using any blood thinning drugs at the time of his death. It's still a sad story, but hopefully the cause of his death can help the living make sure all of the precautions required to keep MMA safe are made known and enforced.

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Re: Why Sam Vasquez Died: Subdural Hemorrhage

Wow......I've long heard of the Subdural henorrage. When I received my grade three concussions, both times my mother (registered nurse) would wake me up every fifteen minutes the night of, the prevent this.

But that little bit about OTC medications possibly causing this? Yikes.....I'm sure that many MMA athletes regularly practice and fight having taken such usually benign drugs.

Good article.....definitely going to avoid that nasty combo, and let's hope more can learn from such a tragedy.

by aej on Apr 8, 2008 12:40 PM EDT reply actions