Chapter 28 Head and Spine Injuries

Question 1

The nervous system is divided into the central nervous system and the:

Answer 1

Peripheral nervous system

Question 2

Injury to the head and neck may indicate injury to the:

Answer 2

Cervical spine

Question 3

Neck rigidity, bloody CSF, and headache are associated with that kind of bleeding in the brain?

Answer 3

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Question 4

In supine patients with a head injury, the head should be elevated _____ to help reduce ICP.

Answer 4

30 degrees

Question 5

You respond to a 38 year old man who fell while rock climbing. He is unconscious with an open airway. The respiration and pulse rates are within normal limits. His distal pulses are intact. You check his pupils and find that they are unequal. You know this can be a sign of:

Answer 5

Increased ICP

Intracranial bleeding

Question 6

The peripheral nervous system has _____ pairs of spinal nerves.

Answer 6

31

Question 7

The _____ and _____ mater are the two inner layers of the meninges and are much thinner that the dura mater.

Answer 7

subarachnoid; pia

Question 8

What is retrograde amnesia?

Answer 8

The inability to remember events leading up to a head injury

Question 9

What is anterograde amnesia?

Answer 9

Inability to remember events after a head injury

Question 10

What is a concussion?

Answer 10

Temporary loss of the brains ability to function without actual physical damage

Question 11

The central nervous system is composed of the:

Answer 11

Brain and spinal cord

Question 12

What part of the nervous system controls the body voluntary activities?

Answer 12

Somatic

Question 13

What are the two most common causes of secondary brain injury?

Answer 13

Hypoxia and hypotension

Question 14

In contrast to a cerebral concussion, a cerebral contusion:

Answer 14

Involves physical injury to the brain tissue

Question 15

Hyperextension injuries of the spine are most commonly the result of:

Answer 15

Hangings

Question 16

A man jumped from the rood of his house and landed on his feet. He complains of pain to his heels, knees, and lower back. This mechanism of injury is an example of:

Answer 16

Axial loading

Question 17

Once a cervical collar had been applied to a patient with a possible spinal injury, it should not be removed unless:

Answer 17

It causes a problem managing the airway

Question 18

You should be most suspicious that a patient has experienced a significant head injury if his or her pulse is:

Answer 18

Slow

Question 19

The GCS is used to assess:

Answer 19

Eye opening, verbal response, and motor response

Question 20

An indicator of an expanding intracranial hematoma or rapidly progressing brain swelling is:

Answer 20

A rapid deterioration of neurological signs

Question 21

A tight fitting motorcycle helmet should be left in place unless:

Answer 21

It interferes with your assessment of the airway

Question 22

A patient with a head injury presents with abnormal flexion of his extremities. What numeric value should you assign to him for motor response?

Answer 22

3

Question 23

What is raccoon eyes?

Answer 23

Ecchymosis that develops around the eyes

Question 24

What is battle sign?

Answer 24

Ecchymosis that develops behind the ear, over the mastoid process

Question 25

What part of the skull is most susceptible to depressed skull fractures?

Answer 25

Fontal and parietal

Question 26

What are the signs of ICP for Cushing reflex?

Answer 26

Increased systolic BP (hypertension)
Decreased HR
Irregular respirations

Question 27

Suspect a head injury if the fall is more than ___ft for an adult and more than ___ft for peds.

Answer 27

20; 10