SI.com – Racing – Champ car driver airlifted after deer collision
A collision while in his open-wheeled race car, on a racing track:
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Champ Car driver Cristiano da Matta needed surgery to remove a ruptured blood vessel in his head after his race car collided with a deer that wandered onto the track during a test session at Road America on Thursday.
Da Matta was unconscious when he was airlifted to Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah after the crash, and remained unconscious as of Thursday night, Champ Car series spokesman Steve Shunck said.
Champ Car Director of Medical Affairs Dr. Chris Pinderski said a CT scan at the hospital showed that da Matta had a subdural hematoma.
The second statement is correct, the subdural hematoma, or blood clot inder the lining of the skull, is removed; the blood vessels are usually left alone, or gently tied off as needed.
Recovery is variable from this sort of thing, and relates not just to the size of the initial clot, but also to other brain injury that can occur at the same time. (Shearing injury, etc).
Best of Luck to Cristiano and his family.
