Products may help diagnose concussions

On Aug. 22, the FDA announced that it was going to allow two devices to be marketed as tests aimed to diagnose cognitive function after a brain injury. They are called the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) and ImPACT Pediatric. They are designed to allow doctors in Maryland and around the country to diagnose the signs and symptoms of a head injury as part of an overall diagnostic process.

On their own, these devices are not designed to diagnose a concussion or any other head injury. However, they collect data that can be compared to a control group based on the patient’s age or based on previous information collected about that particular patient. Doctors can use them to test a patient’s ability to remember and recognize words as well as to assess their reaction time. The ImPACT testing tool is designed for those between the ages of 12 and 59 while the ImPAC Pediatric is designed for those between the ages of 5 and 11.

The manufacturer of the devices conducted research that included 250 articles that were peer-reviewed. The FDA concluded that the research properly established that these products could be used safely and effectively to help assess cognitive function after a head injury. Each year, TBIs account for approximately 2 million visits to emergency rooms while accounting for at least 50,000 deaths annually in the U.S.

Concussions can arise from contact sports as well as other incidents such as motor vehicle accidents. When such a head injury has been caused by the negligence of another party, a personal injury attorney could assist a victim in seeking compensation for the medical expenses and other losses that have been sustained.