Bob Saget's Cause Of Death 'Extremely Tragic' But 'Not Uncommon,' Doctor Says

Medical experts are weighing in on Bob Saget's cause of death after the actor's autopsy findings were made public.

According to the recently released autopsy report, the "Full House" star, who was found dead at age 65 in a Florida hotel on Jan. 9, died as a result of blunt force head trauma caused by an "unwitnessed fall."

Saget was found with extensive skull fractures and brain injuries, including posterior scalp abrasions, subgaleal hemorrhage (blood that forms between the skull and scalp), discoloration in the upper and lower eyelids due to skull fracture, subdural hematoma (buildup of blood on the surface of the brain), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in the space surrounding the brain), the autopsy report said.

Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, told People that the actor's cause of death "is extremely tragic, but unfortunately, not uncommon."

More than 61,000 Americans die from traumatic brain injury annually, with many of these deaths caused by falls, the doctor said.

Wen, who did not examine Saget, explained that "falling from standing, especially onto a hard surface like a bathtub or hard ground, can cause the kind of injury that Mr. Saget experienced." The doctor also noted that a fracture in the back of the skull could lead to fractures in other parts of the skull as well as bleeding inside the brain.

"Because the skull is an enclosed structure, there is nowhere for blood to go except to press on the brain. That kind of pressure is what leads to unconsciousness and eventually to death," Wen added.

Neurosurgery expert Dr. Joshua Marcus, of Nuvance Health, told the outlet that Saget's injuries suggest more than "benign head trauma."

Marcus, who also did not examine Saget, explained that the autopsy report "reads like someone who just had a bad head trauma" or someone who was involved in a car, bicycle or motorcycle accident.

Marcus acknowledged the possibility that Saget could have suffered a very bad fall, but the doctor pointed to the injuries around the actor's eye sockets as possible signs suggesting this was more than benign head trauma. Marcus said it's "very hard" to fracture the bones in the eye socket area without traumatizing the orbit.

Both doctors, however, said it's possible that Saget went to sleep right after sustaining such severe head trauma.

Wen said she's seen patients present to the ER days after the injury with ongoing bleeding, sharing that some die within minutes, while others are able to be saved if they seek medical care in time.

"It's possible that Mr. Saget fell, thought he could sleep it off, then went to bed — but unfortunately never woke up," Wen said.

"With that amount of trauma, he probably was pretty confused," Marcus added. "I think it's reasonable to have confusion and, honestly, lethargy, which is somnolence, which would put you to sleep."

Saget's family confirmed in a statement earlier this week that the "Fuller House" star died due to head trauma. Saget's autopsy results also showed that he was positive for COVID-19 when he passed away.

While his family said no drugs or alcohol were involved in Saget's death, the actor was taking the prescription drug clonazepam, which treats seizures, panic disorder and anxiety, when he died, according to the autopsy report.

Saget's autopsy also stated that he had cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart), coronary artery atherosclerosis (damage or disease in the heart's major blood vessels) and aortic atherosclerosis (plaque build-up inside the wall of the aorta).

Saget is survived by his wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters — Aubrey, 34, Lara, 32, and Jennifer, 29 — whom he shared with ex-wife Sherri Kramer.