Clinical assessment of the neurosurgical patient Flashcards
How do you asses an obtunded patient
ABS
Glasgow coma scale
Pupils
What does the Glasgow coma scale test
Conscious level
What problems does a decreases Glasgow coma scale highlight
Cerebral perfusion
Metabolic problems
What is cerebral perfusion pressure equal
Mean arterial pressure minus intra cranial pressure
How does cerebral perfusion pressure drop
If mean arterial pressure drops
If intra cranial pressure increases
What causes intra cranial pressure to rise
The brain of the skull has a fixed volume, add something else in e.g. tumour, the ICP rises has no more space can be created
What causes pupillary dilation in the obtund patient
Cerebral herniation
How does herniation in the brain cause pupillary dilation
Due to Uncal herniation, causes the template lobe over the edge of the tentorium squashing CNIII (oculomotor)
How do you asses the non communicative patient
Observation
(posture, focal lack of movement, neglect, eye movements)
Asses speech
Mini Mental score
What do you asses in the communicating patient
Cranial
Spinal
Peripheral nerve
What do you asses for in cranial
Which lobe - cerebellar localisation
If affects the cerebellar
In the central nervous system
How do you asses cerebral localisation
Functional MRI scan
Tractography (diffuse tensor imaging)
What is the exact location of the frontal lobe
Front of the cerebral hemisphere. It is separated from the parietal lobe by a groove between tissues called the central sulcus, and from the temporal lobe by a deeper groove called the lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure)
What is the functions of the frontal lobe
Voluntary control of movement
Speech
Saccadic eye movements
Bladder control
Gait
Higher order (restraint, initiative and order -RIO)
What specific area in the frontal lobe has control over voluntary movement
Precentral gyrus
What specific area in the frontal lobe has control over speech
Broccas area
What is broccas area composed of
pars opercularis (45), pars triangularis (44)
What specific area of the frontal lobe has control over saccadic eye movements
Frontal eye fields
What specific area of the frontal lobe has control over bladder control
Paracentral lobule
What specific area of the frontal lobe has control over gait
Periventricular (around the ventricles)
What do you asses in frontal lobe examination
Inspection
- decorticate posture
- magnetic gait
- urinary catheter
- abulia (absence of willpower)
Pyrimidal weakness
saccadic eye movements
primitive reflexes
Speech
How can you detect pyramidal weakness in frontal lobe examination
UMN signs
- weakness,
- increased tone,
- brisk reflexes,
- up-going plantar
Pronator drift