Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek has brain surgery

Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek has brain surgery

Alex Trebek, the iconic Jeopardy! game show host, shared in a YouTube video Thursday that he had brain surgery over the holiday break to correct a subdural hematoma he developed after falling two months prior.

A subdural hematoma is a bleed on the brain, not in the brain, that occurs between the dura mater and the arachnoid in the subdural space that may apply significant pressure to the cerebral cortex, according to Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary.

Trebek initially announced he had a “slight medical problem”, but a subdural hematoma is much more than that.

“A subdural hematoma is considered a very deadly head injury if gone untreated,” says Dr. Hamad Farhat a neurosurgeon at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill.

“This type of brain bleed is most often caused by a traumatic head injury like a fall or car accident,” says Dr. Farhat. “This condition can develop over time, as it is more of a leak in the brain than an explosion. That’s why it took several months before it was caught in Trebek, and he needed surgery. People who have subdural hematomas may experience symptoms such as change in personality, headaches, forgetfulness and seizures.”

“After two days in the hospital, I came home to start recovery,” says Trebek. “The prognosis is excellent, and I expect to be back in the studio taping more ‘Jeopardy!’ programs very, very soon!”

It was not reported whether Trebek suffered any symptoms before his diagnosis.

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Comments

11 Comments

  1. Wishing Alex well & a Speedy Recovery.

  2. Healing prayers coming your way for a speedy recovery.

  3. I had a severe headache the other day while I was in the shower. The pain hit the back of my head hard and lasted about a minute. I also work up to a severe pain to the right side of my head that hurt so bad I thought my ear was bleeding. That pain lasted 3-5 minutes and went away. Neither pain returned and about two weeks have passed and it still have not returned.
    Can these pains be symptoms of a subdural hematoma?

  4. Theresa McVeagh January 9, 2018 at 2:13 pm · Reply

    Prayers go out to you, speedy recovery, but don’t push it

  5. Prayers for a full recovery. You’re a wonderful person.

  6. Phyllis Neiswonger January 9, 2018 at 9:53 pm · Reply

    Praying for you to have a speedy recovery. Miss you on the show

  7. Phyllis Neiswonger January 9, 2018 at 9:54 pm · Reply

    Praying for a speedy recovery and come back soon

  8. Marlene J Graham January 10, 2018 at 9:00 am · Reply

    I wish Alex a speedy recovery. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

  9. I will keep you in my prayers. Get well soon.

  10. Bennie,
    I’m no doctor but I would most certainly be consulting my primary care physician about this issue. If you don’t feel satisfied by his, or her, answer consult another physician. Sooner rather than later.
    Wishing you a healthy future!

  11. Can we get an update on Alex Trebek? Hoping he is healing well.

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About the Author

Marrison Worthington
Marrison Worthington

Marrison Worthington, health enews contributor, is a public affairs manager for Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. She is a graduate of Illinois State University and has several years of global corporate communications experience under her belt. Marrison loves spending her free time traveling, reading organizational development blogs, trying new cooking recipes, and playing with her golden retriever, Ari.