Exam II Flashcards
A(n) _____ injury is caused by an external force contacting the head, suddenly placing the head in motion
Acceleration
A(n) _____ injury occurs when the moving head is suddenly stopped or hits a stationary object
Deceleration
A _____ brain injury is confined to a specific area of the brain and causes localized damage.
Focal
_____ injuries are characterized by damage throughout many areas of the brain.
Diffuse
Which type of brain injury is detected with CT scan or MRI?
Focal brain injury
Which type of brain injury may not initially be detectable by CT scan?
Diffuse
What type of skull fracture is associated with open dramatic brain injury?
- linear
- depressed
- open
- comminuted
- basilar
With this type of fracture a simple, clean break in which the impacted area of the bone bends inward and the area around it bends outward.
Linear
This is the most common type of skull fracture
With this type of skull fracture in the bone is pressed inward into the brain tissue to at least the thickness of the skull
Depressed fracture
This type of skull fracture involves fragmented bone with depression into brain tissue
Comminuted
With this type of skull fracture the scalp and dura are lacerated, creating a direct opening to the brain tissue
Open fracture
This type of skull fracture occurs at the base of the skull, usually extending into the anterior, middle, or posterior fossa, and can result in cerebrospinal fluid leakage from the nose or ears
Basilar
A central nervous system infection can occur when this problem presents as a result of a skull fracture
Cerebrospinal fluid leakage
This type of skull fracture presents an increased risk for hemorrhage caused by damage to the internal carotid artery. It can also cause damage to cranial nerves I, II, VII, and VIII
Basilar
Contusion is a bruising of the brain tissue and is most commonly found at the site of impact which is called ?
Coup
A contusion is a bruising of the brain tissue and is most on only caused at the site of impact, called the _____ while the site opposite impact is called _____?
- Coup
- Contrecoup
Most common at the base of the frontal and temporal lobes
This type of injury is usually related to high-speed acceleration/deceleration, is typically seen in motor vehicle crashes. It causes shearing of marginal fibers and stretching of blood vessels in many areas of the brain
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
Can cause bleeding and biochemical cascade of toxic substances into the brain after the initial injury
What are the most prominent manifestations of DAI?
- Cognitive impairment
- Disorganization
- impaired memory
- inattentiveness
- coma
How is the severity of TBI determined?
- Glasgow Coma Scale
- CT
- MRI
- presentation of symptoms
Mild traumatic brain injury is also called _____
Concussion
What are the characteristics of mild traumatic brain injury/concussion?
- a blow to the head, transient confusion or feeling dazed/disoriented and one of the following:
- loss of consciousness for up to 30 minutes
- loss of memory for events immediately before or after accident
- focal neurologic deficits
- No evidence of brain damage on CT or MRI
What are the characteristics of moderate traumatic brain injury?
- loss of consciousness for 30 minutes to six hours
- GCS 9 to 12
- amnesia that may last up to 24 hours
Often hospitalization to monitor for edema, bleeding, or in adequate perfusion is necessary
What are the characteristics of severe traumatic brain injury?
- loss of consciousness for greater than six hours
- GCS 3 to 8
- focal and diffuse damage to the brain, cerbrovascular vessels/ventricals
Requires critical care monitoring of hemodynamics, neurological status, and intracranial pressure. There is a high risk for secondary brain injury from cerebral edema, hemorrhage, reduce perfusion, and biomolecular cascade
What is the normal level for intracranial pressure ?
10-15 mm Hg
How does the nurse manage cerebral edema?
- Provide oxygen
- Keep systolic BP within therapeutic range
- Balance fluid intake and output
- Balance fluid and electrolytes
This type of edema has abnormal permeability of cerebra vessels and plasma leaks out into the extracellular space and collects in white matter.
Vasogenic Edema
This type of edema occurs as a result of a hypoxic event. The brain no longer receives oxygen and starts to use anaerobic metabolism. This can also lead to vasogenic edema
Cytotoxic Edema
This type of edema creates fluid accumulation between the cells and is associated with increased BP or ICP
Interstitial Edema
What are the three major types of hemorrhage(Hematoma) that present after TBI?
- Epidural
- Subdural
- Intracerebral
This type of hematoma results from arterial bleeding into the space between the dura and the inner skull and is often caused by a fracture of the temporal bone.
Epidural hematoma
This type of hematoma results from venous bleeding into the space beneath the skull and dura but above the arachnoid and most often is caused by tearing of the bridging veins or laceration of brain tissue.
Subdural Hematoma
This hematoma bleeds more slowly than an epidural hematoma
Either acute, subacute or chronic
This type of subdural hematoma presents within 48 hours of impact
Acute Subdural Hematoma
Type type of subdural hematoma presents within 48 hours to 2 weeks of impact
Subacute Subdural Hematoma
This type of subdural hematoma presents from 2 weeks to several months after injury
Chronic Subdural Hematoma
This type of hemorrhage is the accumulation of blood within the brain tissue caused by tearing of small arteries and veins in the subcortical white matter
Intracerebral hemorrhage
Can produce ICP and edema
This is an abnormal increase in CSF.
Hydrocephalus
What are the two types of brain herniation?
Uncal and Central
This type of brain herniation is caused by the shift of one or both of the temporal lobes and is life threatening
Uncal herniation
This type of brain herniation is caused by a downward shift of the brainstem and the diencephalon from a surpatentorial lesion
Central herniation
What are the signs and symptoms of Uncal herniation?
- Ptosis (drooping eye lids)
- Dilated and non-reactive pupils
- Rapid and deteriorating LOC
What are the signs and symptoms of Central herniation?
- Cheyne-Stokes respirations
- Pinpoint and non-reactive pupils
- Hemodynamic instability
What is Cushing’s Triad?
Classic but late sign of ICP:
- Manifested by severe HTN
- Widened pulse pressure (increased difference between diastolic and systolic)
- Bradycardia
Typically indicates imminent death
What type of patient history should be collected with TBI?
- When, where, how injury occurred
- Loss of consciousness, how long?
- Change in LOC since injury?
- Any seizure activity?
- Which is dominant hand?
- Any eye disease or injuries?
- Allergies?
- Drug or alcohol use?
- Violence in the home?
What are the clinical manifestations of TBI?
- increased ICP
- Hypotension
- Hypoxemia
- Hypercarbia
Subtle changes in BP, LOC and pupillary response to light can help determine neurologic deterioration
What are the priority nursing interventions in the ED with TBI patient?
- Assess ABCs (airway, breathing circulation)
- Spine precautions
- Assess sensory perception
- Glascow coma scale assessment
- Vitals (Cushing’s Triad)
- Pupil response
- Motor responses (decerebrate, decorticate, flaccid)
- CSF leak
What are spinal precautions?
- Bedrest
- No neck flexion with pillow or neck roll
- No thoracic or lumbar flexion with HOB elevation
- Manual control of cervical spine when collar is off
- Log roll for positioning
Which two manifestations suggest hypovolemic shock with TBI patients?
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
What are the late signs of ICP?
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Severe headache
- Seizures
What is the abnormal body posturing that involves the arms and legs being held straight out, the toes pointed downward, and the head and neck being arched backward?
Decerebrate posture
What is the abnormal body posturing in which a person is stiff with bend arms, clenched fists, and legs held out straight. The arms are bent toward the body and the wrists and fingers are bent and held to the chest?
Decorticate posture
Bruising behind the ear or lower jaw is called _____?
Battle sign or Mastoid Ecchymosis
This type of fever presents with an absence of sweating and no diurnal (night and day variation). The fever is high and lasts several days to weeks and responds better to cooling measures than antipyretics.
Central fever
Caused by hypothalamic damage
What is therapeutic hypothermia and why is it used?
Rapidly cooling the patient’s core temperature between 89.6 and 93.2 for 24-48 hours after injury
This reduces brain metabolism and prevents the cascade of molecular and biochemical events that contribute to secondary brain injury in moderate to severe TBI
What are the four prerequisites of brain death?
- Coma
- Normal/Near normal core body temp
- Normal systolic BP (>=100 mm hg)
- At least one neurologic exam
What are the pharmacological interventions for TBI?
- Mannitol (Osmitrol): osmotic diuretic for cerebral edema; most effective as bolus; Use filter
- Furosemide (Lasix): loop diuretic, reduces rebound from Mannitol and also enhances Mannitol by reducing edema, blood volume and sodium uptake
- Propofol (Diprivan): sedative - manage agitation
- Morphine/Fentanyl: Opioids - agitation from pain; naloxone for reversal; Fentanyl has fewer effects on BP
- Phenytoin (Dilantin): Antiepileptic - prevent seizures
** Dethamethasone (decadron) & Methylprednisolone: glucocorticoids - No benefit!
Which drugs are used to induce barbiturate coma?
pentobarbital (Nembutal, Novapentobarb): mechanical vent required complications include: decreased GI motility, Cardiac dysrhythmias from hypokalemia, hypotension, fluctuation in body temperature
What are the surgical interventions for TBI?
- ICP management devices: keyhole craniotomy - inserted through a burr hole
- Decompressive craniotomy: removal of a section of the skull
- Craniotomy: skull opening immediately followed by closing
- Evacuation of epidural or subdural hematoma
side lying restrictions and protective care
What is the discharge teaching for TBI?
- assess family dynamics/coping strategies
- Assess for patient care needs (24 hr care?)
- Discuss memory and personality changes
- Discuss support groups and respite care
_____ is a progressive, permanent change in cognition
Dementia
_____ is reversible change in cognition with treatment
Delerium
What are the risk factors for cognitive impairment?
- advanced age
- behaviors (substance abuse, poor decisions)
- environmental exposure (lead, toxins)
- congenital/genetic (FAS, Downs)
- health related
Which diagnostic test is done to detect infarcts (vascular dementia)?
MRI PET
What is the function of the liver?
Clears toxins from the body
What is cirrhosis?
extensive, irreversible scarring of the liver