Doc: Richardson Could Have Been Saved

UPDATE: The lights of New York's Broadway theaters were dimmed Thursday evening in honor of the actress.

Natasha Richardson’s body has been taken from the Medical Examiner’s office to the Greenwich Village Funeral Home on Bleeker Street. Funeral plans are being finalized. RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively that the actress was pronounced dead at 7:25 pm Wednedsay.

Tragically, Richardson’s life could have been saved if doctors had reached her quickly, a top neurologist told RadarOnline.com. An autopsy showed Natasha died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Click here for the autopsy details.

“A CAT scan would have detected the epidural hematoma immediately and the doctors would have been able to relieve the pressure,” said Dr. Yousef Mohammad, assistant professor of neurology at Ohio State University Medical Center. Dr.Mohammad did not treat Natasha.

“An epidural hematoma is a type of traumatic brain injury in which there is a buildup of blood between the skull and the outer membrane of the central nervous system called the dura.

“Even a very small hematoma caused by a blow to the head could end up getting up getting bigger and bigger, bleeding rapidly into the brain destroying tissue in its wake.

“Without surgical intervention in which the blood is removed to reduce pressure on the brain through a hole made through the skill, death is likely.

“This why you should go immediately to the emergency room whenever you have a fall or bump on the head. This is such a tragedy.”

Richardson refused treatment at first after falling and hitting her head. (Photo: WENN)

Click here for a tribute to the actress.

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