Neuro Emergencies Flashcards
Key of neuro exam in the emergency setting
medical history
Most common brain herniation where frontal lobe gets scraped under falx cerebri
cingulate
Result of direct trauma to the brain
cortical contusion (coup/contrecoup)
Common causes of diffuse axonal injury
shaken baby syndrome or severe whiplash
Hemorrhage characterized by middle mengingeal artery disruption, lens shape on CT
epidural hemorrhage
CT findings that require automatic consult
subdural hematoma, intracranial bleeding, cerebral edema, skull trauma
Name the four types of skull fractures
Linear, depressed, diastatic, basilar
Type of skull fracture that is clinically important if they cross the middle meningeal artery or a major venous sinus. more lucent than sutures and usually wider
linear skull fractures
How long does it take to recover from a linear fracture?
children heal in 3-6 months
In adults it can take 3 years
Type of skull fracture often felt on palpation beneath scalp laceration. Predispose to infection and seizure
depressed fractures
Tx for migraines
1st line: Tryptans. 2nd line: Ketorolac + antiemetic (metoclopramide or prochlorperazine)
Tx for cluster HA
1st line: 100% oxygen
2nd line: Sumatryptan
What do the following have in common: SAH, meningitis, cerebral ischemia, SDH, brain tumor?
Life Threatening Causes of Headache
Gold standard for diagnosing SAH
LP
What happens if you infiltrate while giving IV phenytoin?
glove necrosis
