Brain Swells News Today

♪ oh girls they want to have fun ♪ ♪ no girls just want to have fun ♪ >> i remember each morning, walking into the hospital and being so excited to go up to gabbys room. because i felt like each day i knew there would be something new that she would be able to do. >> january, february, march -- >> april, may, june, july -- >> take the glasses off. >> she had to wear a helmet when she moved around, which she did not like. >> boo, boo, boo. >> we cant take that with us. >> that helmet was ...

Fun ♪ ♪ they want to have fun ♪ >> i remember each morning walking into the hospital and being so excited to go up to gabbys room because i felt like each day i knew there would be something new she would be able to do. >> january, february, march -- >> april, may, june, july -- >> take your glasses off. >> she had to wear a helmet when she moved around, which she did not like. >> we cant take that risk. >> that helmet was the substitute for a skull to protect her brain. >> when she first ...

Walking into the hospital and being so excited to go up to gabbys room because i felt like each day i knew there would be something new she would be able to do. >> january, february, march -- >> april, may, june, july -- >> take your glasses off. >> she had to wear a helmet when she moved around, which she did not like. >> we cant take that risk. >> that helmet was the substitute for a skull to protect her brain. >> when she first had her injury, she had some of her skull removed to help release...

The brain swells and nerve cells stop communicating and die. omega 3 fatty acids, the theory goes, can do three very important things. rebuild damaged nerve cells, reduce inflammation, keep those brain cells from dying. >> when we look at severe brain trauma, were looking at an inflammatory event. and, obviously, the one thing you want to do to treat brain trauma is to put out the fire. put out the fire in the brain. >> reporter: the first time this had ever been done, 2006, after a mining explo...

The brain swells and nerve cells stop communicating and die. omega 3 fatty acids, the theory goes, can do three very important things -- rebuild damaged nerve cells, reduce inflammation, keep those brain cells from dying. >> when we look at severe brain trauma, were looking at inflammatory event. and obviously, the one thing you want to do to basically treat brain trauma is put out the fire, to put out the fire in the brain. >> reporter: the first time this had ever been done, 2006, after a mini...

Skull is missing. this was -- i dont know how much of that was taken out for the expansion of her brain, the swelling and how much she lost in the shooting. what would she look like with that section of her skull missing and what are some of the risks involved? >> yeah. that operation called a craniectomy basically is as you say, to try to control swelling at the time of the injury. let me show you quickly if i can, i dont know how well you can see this, this is a skull and this is sort of what ...

Believe all the victims were taken. trace, what are doctors most concerned about at this hour? >> the big worry still, shep, is brain swelling. the fear is the brain swells too much, it will constrict the blood flow, but so far theres no change on that. we can tell you that gabrielle giffords is responding simple commands, like squeezing doctors fingers, giving a thumbs-up, putting her fingers up and moving her toes. thats good. theyve also done another cat scan on her. they take this cat scan, ...