Report: Raiders RT Trent Brown hospitalized after pregame IV injected air into his bloodstream
Las Vegas Raiders right tackle Trent Brown missed Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns with what head coach Jon Gruden classified as an illness.
It turns out that a pregame IV resulted in air being injected into Brown’s bloodstream, NFL Network reports. The injection required immediate medical attention and required Brown to be hospitalized, where he will remain overnight for testing.
#Raiders OT Trent Brown was hospitalized today after a mishap with his pre-game IV that caused air to enter his bloodstream and required immediate medical attention, per me and @TomPelissero. Brown will stay overnight for further tests.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 1, 2020
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that Brown’s representation is seeking a full investigation of the incident by the NFL Players Association.
What happens when air enters the bloodstream?
Air injected into the bloodstream and causing an embolism can have serious consequences. According to Healthline, air bubbles that enter the brain, heart or lungs can cause a heart attack, a stroke or respiratory failure. A minor embolism can produce minor symptoms, according to the medical website.
The severity of Brown’s reported embolism is unclear.
Raiders were vague about Brown’s status
Brown was slated to start Sunday after missing last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The initial lack of clarity around Brown’s condition led to speculation that his absence was COVID-19 related. It wasn’t.
“We’re just going to say he got ill here in the locker room,” Gruden told reporters after the game. “I’m told that everything is OK.”
Quarterback Derek Carr said that the team “was scared for Trent,” according to The Athletic’s Vic Tarfur.
“They wheeled him out, and we didn’t know what was happening,” Carr said.
Brown’s reported pregame injection mishap is the second this season in the NFL with serious consequences.
Another NFL injection mishap
In Week 2, Los Angeles Chargers medical staff gave quarterback Tyrod Taylor a pregame pain injection for a rib injury. The injection punctured a lung and forced Taylor to be hospitalized.
Taylor recovered, but lost his starting job to rookie Justin Herbert, who took his place against the Chiefs and has played well ever since.
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