11.2 Head Injuries

Question 1

TBI

Answer 1

Traumatic Brain Injury
- Trauma to the brain resulting in brain damage
- Focus of interventions is to prevent injury to brain

Question 2

Locked-In Syndrome

Answer 2

• Patient is aware and awake but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles except eyes
• Total-Locked In syndrome includes eyes

Question 3

Skull Fracture

Answer 3

• Diagnosed by x-ray

Linear - Most common type, simple break
Comminuted - Fragmented break
Basal Skull Fracture - Can be associated with CSF leakage from nose, ear, and risk of meningitis

Question 4

Facial Fractures

Answer 4

Trigeminal Nerve
- Supplies feeling to face
- Tingling sensation for facial fractures must be reported immediately because it may be a pinched nerve

Question 5

Comminuted Fractures

Answer 5

• Fragmented Fracture
• High risk for infection due to hair/dirt and debris in the wound
• Wounds are considered contaminated and require debridement with surgical closure

Question 6

Basilar Skull Fracture

Answer 6

• Linear fractures at the base of the skull
• Risk of CSF leakage, cranial nerve damage

Question 7

Battle’s Sign

Answer 7

• Bruising over mastoid process behind ear, cranial nerve damage, visual deficits, facial weakness, hearing problems