Gary Coleman (ABC 4 News)
“Large amounts of blood that go into the substance of the brain have no where to go, and they put pressure on the brain that may quickly be fatal,” says Miska.
The bleeding in his brain became fatal for actor Gary Coleman Friday afternoon. Intracranial bleeding occurs when a blood vessel within the skull is ruptured or leaks. The build-up of blood within the head can lead to increases in intracranial pressure which can crush delicate brain tissue or limit its blood supply.
“Anyone with long standing high blood pressure is at a greater risk for having a brain hemorrhage. It is the single most important risk for a brain hemorrhage,” says Miska.
The flow of blood can build up to the point where it squeezes past structures in the skull, and causes immediate death. The bleeding can be the result of a physical trauma. Coleman fell earlier in the week, causing him to slip into a coma while his brain continued to bleed.
“There's a very limited space inside of the head for the brain, and when a hemorrhage tries to expand the brain, parts of the brain are forced to shift,” says Miska.
Doctors say the reason why famous rock star Bret Michaels survived his brain hemorrhage last month, was because his bleeding was contained between the layer of fluid between the skull and the brain, while Coleman's hemorrhage involved bleeding inside of the brain, which is much more deadly.
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