Apparatus for reducing brain and cervical spine injury due to rotational movement

Abstract

Serious brain and cervical spine injury is prevented by providing devices to restrain or totally block rotational movement of the head in response to severe acceleration / deceleration. Such devices include a helmet worn by a person, and various devices to dampen, restrain or totally block such rotational movement upon the sensing of severe rotational movement of the head.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to head and neck rotation acceleration / deceleration restraint and dampening systems that reduce or eliminate damage to or shearing of brain matter, axons and cervical spinal cord and spine. In particular, this invention provides a dampening device to prevent the brain from substantial rotational acceleration or deceleration that would lead to tearing of brain or cervical spine tissue.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The brain generally consists of an outer layer of grey matter or cortex where neurons are located and white matter or axons, which connect the gray matter areas. Disruption of white matter connections disables brain function. Symptoms can be as mild as memory and attention difficulties, and as serious as a coma state.[0003]Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) results from rotational shear forces that tear white matter tracts. DAI is common in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and accounts for persistent cognitive deficits and s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The invention provides advantages over the prior art by providing automatic dampening of the motion of a user's head when dangerously large accelerations are present, but creating no or very little inconvenience to the user in normal circumstances. In some cases rotational movement may be completely prevented or always allowed, depending on the threshold settings for the restraint system.

Problems solved by technology

Disruption of white matter connections disables brain function.

These deep white matter abnormalities can be detected by a MRI and are associated with poorer neuropsychological test performances and poor long-term outcome.

Rapid acceleration and deceleration of a person's head, especially with a rotational component causes serious damage to the white matter connections in the brain.

This is the most common form of brain injury and occurs in car crashes, falls, sporting accidents and recently in war as a consequence of road-side bombs that cause a blast wave to whip the head producing rotational shear injury.

In addition, rapid acceleration / deceleration in flexion, extension or rotation movements can cause fractures, torn ligaments, disc herniations, cervical spine and spinal cord injury and other damage of the neck cervical spine.

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