Midterms_ CARE OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES CARE OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES Flashcards
s any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull, or brain. The injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to serious brain injury.
Head injury
Two Types of Brain Injury
- Acquired Brain Injury
- Traumatic Brain Injury
injury to the brain that occurs after birth. Many different factors can cause an ABI, including:
ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY (ABI)
Anoxic injuries (a prolonged lack of oxygen)
- Hypoxia (decreased oxygen flow)
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders
Strokes
- Cerebral ischemia (restricted blood flow)
- Infections, such as encephalitis or
meningitis
- Neurotoxic events (exposure to toxic
chemicals or drugs)
- Hydrocephalus
most common types of ABI is a
traumatic brain injury, or TBI
means an acquired injury to the brain caused by external physical force. The injury occurs when a blow to the head or body causes the brain to move rapidly inside the skull. The impact and movement can injure brain cells, nerves and blood vessels.
traumatic brain injury, or TBI
Classifications of TBI
- Epidural Hematoma
2.Subdural Hematoma - Subarachnoid Bleed
4.Intracerebral Bleed
5.Shear Injury - Edema
- Skull Fracture
bleeding is located between the dura mater and the skull.
Epidural Hematoma
located
beneath the dura mater (sub-below), between it and the arachnoid mater
subdural hematoma
bleeding occurs in the
space beneath the arachnoid layer where the CSF is located. Often there is intense headache and vomiting with subarachnoid bleeding.
Subarachnoid Bleed
bleeding occurs within the
brain tissue itself.
Intracerebral Bleed
Sometimes, the damage is due to shear
injury, where there is no obvious bleeding in the brain, but instead the nerve fibers within the brain are stretched and torn.
Shear Injury
All injuries to the brain may also cause
swelling or edema, no different than the swelling that surrounds a bruise on an arm or leg.
Edema
The bones of the skull are classified as
flat bones, meaning that they do not have an inside marrow. It takes a significant amount of force to break the skull, and the skull does not absorb any of that impact. It is often transmitted directly to the brain.
Skull fracture
Skull fractures- Location:
Skull Vault Fractures:
Skull base fractures: serious prognosis
Risks/complications: neuroinfection (purulent meningitis, brain abscess), CSF fistula, IC hypotension syndrome (CFS), n. I and n.II. injury, deafness, n.VII. damage
Eyeglasses-like“ hematoma – Processus mastoideus ecchymosis Battle sign –
SKULL FRACTURES: DIAGNOSIS
Clinical physical evaluation
- palpation
- local pain, edema, or decline
- Skull X-ray or brain/skull CT (bone window)
- Liquorrhea nasalis (CSF leakage through broken
meninges)
- Otorrhea
Ecchymosis over mastoid area
(Battle’s sign) MAIN SYMPTOM
S/Sx
PERSISTENT LOCALIZED PAIN
SKULL FRACTURE)
S/Sx
TEMPORARY LOSS OF NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION WITH NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE)
CONCUSSION
MODERATE BRAIN INJURY IN WHICH BRAIN IS BRUISED AND DAMAGED IN SPECIFIC AREA)
CONTUSION
HEADACHE,DIZZINESS, ANXIETY,IRRITABILITY AND LETHARGY
POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME SYMPTOMS LIK
is a condition that refers to bruises around both eyes.
● These bruises look like the dark patches around the eyes that are characteristic of raccoons.
● The pooling of blood around the eyes is most commonly associated with fractures of the base of the anterior cranial fossa
RACCOON SIGN
● Raccoon eyes
temporary,usually caused by blow to the head, eg. Falls and sports
CONCUSSION
S/Sx of Concussion
headache, loss of memory (amnesia)and confusion. The amnesia usually involves forgetting the event that caused the concussion.