ABI and strokes

Question 1

what is an acquired brain injury?

Answer 1

related to an event and can have recovery afterwards which can be short or long

Question 2

what can cause traumatic brain injuries?

Answer 2

• traffic accidents
• assaults
• falls

Question 3

what is a mild brain injury?

Answer 3

• brief period of unconsciousness
• recovery likely to be good and quick
• GCS 13-15

Question 4

what is a moderate brain injury?

Answer 4

• loss of consciousness 15mins-6hours
• recovery often good, could have some residual disability
• GCS 9-12

Question 5

what is a severe brain injury?

Answer 5

• unconsciousness over 6 hours
• very limited recovery
• GCS less than 9

Question 6

what is a primary brain injury?

Answer 6

• closed head injury
• no break of skin or wound
• head rocked back and forth so brain must follow movement
• billions of nerve fibres can twist, stretch and tear

Question 7

what is a diffuse brain injury?

Answer 7

• mild injuries that produce damage that is widespread in brain
• arteries and veins damaged, allowing

Question 8

what happens in crushing injuries?

Answer 8

• head caught between two objects
• least common type
• damages the base of skull and nerves of brain stem rather than brain itself

Question 9

what is an anoxic brain injury?

Answer 9

• brain starved of oxygen

Question 10

what is a secondary brain injury?

Answer 10

• will take place anytime after primary injury
• due to blood clots
• skull cannot expand so walls of skull squeezed
• brain swells will squeeze blood vessels, limiting blood circulation

Question 11

how would you reduce the risk of head injury?

Answer 11

• ensure home is free of trip hazards
• childproof home
• use right safety equipment for work
• wear helmets

Question 12

what is a stroke?

Answer 12

interruption of blood supply to area of brain
- either through clot (thrombus) or bleed
- after is response of blood vessel and the effects in the area due to blood escaping from vessel

Question 13

how is blood supplied to the brain?

Answer 13

• comes from arterial circle at base of skull
• supplied by two internal carotid arteries
• basilar artery which is formed from two vertebral arteries that enter from foramen magnum
  (Drake et al 2015)

Question 14

where does the brainstem and cerebellum get its blood supply?

Answer 14

• branches from basilar artery
  (Drake et al 2015)

Question 15

where does the cerebrum and cerebral cortex get its blood supply?

Answer 15

• anterior cerebral artery (ACA)
• middle cerebral artery (MCA)
• posterior cerebral artery (PCA)
  (Drake et al 2015)

Question 16

what is an ischaemic stroke?

Answer 16

• blockage of cerebral arteries due to vascular disorders such as thrombus blot

Question 17

what is an haemorrhage stroke?

Answer 17

• bleed in one of arteries either in subarachnoid space or within substance of brain itself which is called intra-cerebral haemorrhage
• causes blood leak into areas which will press on tissues, leading to inflammation and clotting which leads to blood supply in area being cut off