Deaths due to brain injury among footballers in Victoria, 1968-1999.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency and nature of fatal brain injuries occurring in Australian football.


METHODS
State of Victoria, January to July 1999.


METHODS
Retrospective case series of football-related deaths identified from the coronial autopsy records of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (1990-1999) and newspaper reports (1968-1989).


METHODS
Coronial autopsy findings and circumstances of injury.


RESULTS
25 deaths associated with Australian football were identified, nine due to brain injury. Coronial findings in the brain-injury deaths were intracranial haemorrhage in eight patients and infarct in the territory of the middle cerebral artery in one. In three of four cases of subarachnoid haemorrhage, vertebral artery trauma was noted. In all but one case, injury occurred as an accidental part of play.


CONCLUSIONS
The most common findings in deaths due to brain injury in Australian football were intracranial haemorrhage, including subarachnoid haemorrhage from vertebral artery injury.
McCrory
P R
PR
Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Melbourne, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, VIC. pmccrory@compuserve.com
Berkovic
S F
SF
Cordner
S M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001344:Autopsy; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013997:Time Factors; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology