COME ON IN.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THANKS, ERIC, TAKE CARE.
ARTHEL: ALEX TREBEK TAKING LEAVE
OF ABSENCE AFTER HE RECOVERS
FROM BRAIN SURGERY, 77-YEAR-OLD
SAYS HE DEVELOPED NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASE FROM A HEAD INJURY AFTER
A FALL IN OCTOBER.
HERE IS ALEX TREBEK FROM A VIDEO
FROM HIS HOME POSTED ON
JEOPARDY'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
>> I HAD A SLIGHT MEDICAL
PROBLEM, BLOOD CLOTS ON THE
BRAIN CAUSED BY A FALL I ENDURED
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO.
SURGERY WAS PERFORMED, THE
PROGNOSIS IS EXCELLENT AND I
EXPECT TO BE BACK IN THE STUDIO
ARTHEL: DR. PAUL SAPPHIRE
YOU WOULD, EXPLAIN WHAT IS A
HEMATOMA AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE
BRAIN?
>> CLOT OF BLOOD THAT
BRAIN.
IF I WERE TO TAKE OFF THE BRAIN
AND THE SKULL, YOU SEE IS BRAIN
UNDERNEATH, BETWEEN THE BRAIN
AND THE SKULL THERE'S A SPACE,
THAT'S WHERE HIMATOMA CAN
FUNCTION TO HAVE BRAIN?
>> COUPLE DIFFERENT TYPES,
ACUTE, PEOPLE IN SEVERE
ACCIDENTS, MOTOR VEHICLE
ACCIDENTS OR COLLUSION, ACUTE
COLLECTION OF BLOOD THAT RAPIDLY
EXPANDS, CAUSE SOMEBODY INTO A
COMA OR KILL THEM, WHAT
MR. TREBEK SUFFERED FROM, HIT
THEIR HEAD ON SOMETHING THAT YOU
AND I COULDN'T THINK OF, KITCHEN
CABINET, CAR JAM OR DOORS YOU'RE
GETTING IN AND SLOWLY OVER TIME
THE BLOOD ACCUMULATES AND SLOWLY
PUSHES PRESSURE ON THE BRAIN.
SOMETIMES PATIENTS CAN HAVE VERY
THINGS.
>> AND SO IS THE PROCEDURE TO GO
IN AND DRAIN THE BLOOD FROM THE
WHEN THE HEMATOMAS ARE LARGE
ENOUGH, ONLY SYMPTOM TO REMOVE
THE BLOOD.
BEST WAY TO OPEN UP THE SKULL
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER DEPENDING
ON WHERE THE COLLECTION IS AND
PHYSICALLY GO IN AND DRAIN THE
COLLECTION, OFTEN TIMES FLAYS A
PLASTIC TUBE OR DRAIN IN THERE,
HEMATOMAS IS REMOVED, IT WILL
EXPAND.
>> THAT'S GOOD.
CAN HAVE FULL FUNCTIONALITY OF
>> PEOPLE CAN MAKE COMPLETE
RECOVERIES FROM THIS.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IT'S A
TREMENDOUS SPECTRUM AS TO HOW
PEOPLE MIGHT DO AND CHANCE OF
CAUGHT EARLY ENOUGH.
>> MR. TREBEK HAD THE FALL IN
OCTOBER, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE
SURGERY TWO MONTHS LATER, SEEMS
THAT HE DIDN'T SEE SEVERE
SYMPTOMS FOR THE DOCTORS TO GO
AHEAD AND PERFORM SURGERY.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS, HOW DO
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T JUST BUMP MY
HEAD AND WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THIS AND A CONCUSSION,
SO MANY QUESTIONS HERE.
>> RIGHT, A LOT OF GREAT
QUESTIONS AND TYPICALLY, VERY
THIS CONDITION IS THEY HIT THEIR
HEAD OCTOBER AND THEN OVER THE
SPOUSE OR WHOEVER NOTED THAT
THEY ARE ACTING DIFFERENT, THEIR
HEADACHES ARE CONTINUING TO GET
WORSE, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE
FORTH, THAT'S BECAUSE THE
HEMATOMA SLOWLY ACCUMULATES AND
SLOWLY PUSHES PRESSURE.
WE HAVE SOME PICTURES, I'M NOT
SURE IF THEY'RE ON THE SCREEN, A
PATIENT THAT I OPERATED UPON
THAT HAD PRETTY LARGE SUBDURAL
HEMATOMA, THAT SKULL AND THE
SQUIGGLY LINE IS THE BRAIN IN
THE INSIDE AND THAT'S A BIG
APPLICATION OF BLOOD THERE.
SO WHAT WAS DONE FOR THIS
SMALL TUBE OR BRAIN, IN THERE
NOW AND ACTIVELY DRAINING AND
ULTIMATELY THE NEXT PICTURE IS
THE BRAIN IS FULLY REEXPANDED.
>> DOCTORS GAVE HIM A GREAT
DOES HE HAVE TO BE EXTRA
CAUTIOUS ABOUT NOT BUMPING HIS
HEAD IN OPENING DOOR?
>> COMMON SENSE, YOU NEED TO BE
CAREFUL AND HE HAS RECOVERY TO
BE DONE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
SEEMS LIKE HE'S DOING GREAT.
I'M SURE HE WILL MAKE COMPLETE
YOU.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE YOUR WIFE