Natasha Richardson Dead at Age 45

Actress Natasha Richardson died today, March 18, from a head injury sustained on the ski slopes at the resort Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec, Canada. Natasha and her sons, Michael and Daniel Jack, were vacationing in the area. Her husband Liam Neeson was working not far away from the area. While having a private skiing lesson a beginner's slope, Natasha Richardson sustained a fall and suffered a head injury. At the time of the fall, Natasha was not wearing a helmet.

Helmets have been recently recommend for all skiers to assist in prevention of head injuries. There is no indication one way or other whether or not a helmet could have saved Natasha Richardson's life. The only way to determine the definitive cause/causes of death would be through autopsy.

Initially, after the fall Natasha showed no signs of any injury. It is not uncommon for a person to have sustained a head injury and not to start to experience signs of a head injury until later. Signs of a head injury are headache; nausea, visual changes, mood alterations. Even though she was without any of the above listed initial signs of injury, the ski patrol followed the correct procedure and took her to the bottom of the slops. When approximately an hour later, she began to complain of a headache she was transferred by ambulance to the nearest medical center and later transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur.

It is speculated by the medical community that Natasha was suffering from "Talk and Die" syndrome. Talk and Die syndrome is a syndrome occurs when there is a head injury with delayed intracranial (within the skull) bleeding. This causes rapid bleeding between the skull and the brain. As the skull is a closed system, pressure builds within putting pressure on essential areas of the brain which cause breathing and heart rhythms to eventually shut down. The patient slowly slips into a coma prior to death unless surgery occurs which can alleviate the pressure. If surgery does not occur in a timely manner, there is permanent brain damage.

Natasha Richardson was flown back to Lenox Hill Hospital in the US at the request of her family on Monday. She was declared brain dead. Her family had attended her bedside throughout her hospital stay since she arrived in New York. Natasha Richadson was determined to be brain dead at the hospital. Their vigil ended when life support was removed from Natasha today, March 18, 2009.

Besides her sons and husband, Natasha is survived by her mother, actress Vanessa Redgrave and director Tony Richardson. Some of Natasha's roles were in the films Patty Hearst, The Handmaid's Tale, The Parent Trap, and Maid in Manhattan. She was in more than 30 films in her life and received a Tony for her part in Cabaret.

Source:

Post Gazette http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09077/956373-42.stm

TV Guide http://www.tvguide.com/News/Natasha-Richardson-Dies-1004192.aspxHead Injuries are serious; see a physician even if you are initially ok.Please wear a helmet when doing dangerous sports activities including skiing and biking.Ask any RN that has work in a ER, like me, helmets can save lives.