Concussion Flashcards
Annual number of TBIs
- 1.7 million annually
- 80% of individuals go to the ER
- Unsure of how many people receive other medical care or no care
Percentages of TBIs and causes
- Falls = 35.2%
- MVA = 17.5%
- Struck by or against = 16.5%
- Assault = 10%
- Unknown = 21%
- 83.5% are non-sports related injuries
Definition of Concussion
- Concussion is a brain injury and is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by a biomechanical force
Mechanism of Injury
- Mechanical trauma to the brain as a result of an acceleration/deceleration force
- Direct blow to head, face, or neck
- Direct blow elsewhere on body with impulsive force transmitted to head
- Blast injury
Pathophysiology of Mechanical Trauma
- Acceleration/deceleration force causes axonal stretching and deformation
- may or may not have LOC (4-10%)
- Rapid onset of short lived impairments
- Symptoms due to functional disturbance
- Neurometabolic changes result without visual abnormalities
- Physiologic changes at cellular level
- Neurons dysfunctional, not destroyed
Primary blast injury definition
- Produced by contact of blast shockwave with body
- Stress and shear wave occurs in tissues
- Waves reinforced and reflected at tissue density interfaces
- Gas filled organs at risk
Primary blast injury - typical injuries
Tympanic membrane rupture, blast lung, eye injuries, concussion
Secondary Blast Injury definition
- Ballistic wounds produced by primary or secondary fragments that extends further than blast wave
Secondary Blast Injury - typical injuries
- Penetrating injuries, traumatic amputations, lacerations, concussions
Tertiary blast injury definition
- Blast wave propels individuals onto surface/objects or objects onto individuals - whole body translocation
- Crush injuries caused by structural damage and building collapse
Tertiary blast injury - typical injuries
- Blunt injuries, crush syndrome, compartment syndrome, concussion
Quartenary blast injury definition
- other explosion related injury, illness, or disease
Quartenary blast injury - typical injuries
- Burns, inhalation injury ,injury from environmental containment
Quinary injury definition
- Injuries resulting from specific additives such as bacteria and radiation
What is most common type of blast injury?
Secondary
Blast injury severities based on
- Initial strength of blast
- Environment which blast takes place (worse in closed space, fluid environment, closer distance from blast)