‘Second Impact’ Theory

The doctor who treated Costa Mesa High senior linebacker Matt Colby shortly after he collapsed on the sideline Sept. 28 believes he could have suffered from second-impact syndrome--repeated brain injuries occurring within a short period of time.

David Bloom, team physician at Ocean View High and Orange Coast College, said Friday that the thought entered his mind when he treated Colby before paramedics arrived. He has not changed his opinion in the aftermath of Colby’s death. Other experts also have raised the possibility.

“It’s what looks like a case of second-impact syndrome,” he said.

“It’s kind of related to concussions. ... I’m not his personal doctor and I have no knowledge of him before the game. It looks like a syndrome that many people aren’t aware of, that’s related to bad concussions, and a second injury occurs. That probably fits the best.”

Bloom was on the Ocean View sideline when Colby left the game in the first quarter and collapsed. The situation was dire by the time he reached Colby.

“He was already looking serious,” Bloom said. “He was still breathing and had a pulse. I could tell he wasn’t responding. They had already called the paramedics. The team trainer [Steve Moreno] told me what he knew. He said he [Colby] had a head injury two weeks ago.”

Bloom said Moreno did not use the word “concussion” to describe the previous injury.

Before paramedics arrived, Bloom ruled out other possibilities. He said the symptoms were not typical of someone suffering from a heart attack.

“You could tell by how he looked,” he said. “When you have a heart attack, you can talk and he was not responsive.”

Bloom said that the syndrome is rare and primarily occurs in boxing, hockey and football.

Dr. Stan Herring, team doctor for the Seattle Seahawks, said these sort of injuries are not merely a concern for professional athletes.

“Rates of injury are actually the highest in children, adolescents and young adults,” he said in an interview for a Web site about the syndrome. “And the younger the athlete, the higher the risk for SIS.”

Said Bloom: “It’s something to keep an eye on. Even though this may not be second-impact syndrome, it’s something people should know about. It’s kind of a wakeup call.”

In another development, an independent investigator for the Newport-Mesa School District interviewed Costa Mesa Coach Dave Perkins for about three hours on Thursday, a Costa Mesa coach who did not want to be identified said.

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Times staff writer Martin Henderson contributed to this story.