Physiology of Traumatic Brain Injury

Question 1

What is TBI

Answer 1

Traumatic Brain Injury
Severe head trauma associated with high mortality in humans and animals
Dogs and cats have remarkable ability to compensate for loss of cerebral tissue

Question 2

causes of Secondary injury after TBI

Answer 2

Excitatory neurotransmitters damages
ROS produced
Pro-inflammatory cytokines released

Question 3

Effect of TBI secondary injury (4)

Answer 3

Cerebral oedema formation
Increased intra-cranial pressure (ICP)- most common and potentially deadly
Compromised blood-brain barrier
Alteration in cerebrovascular reactivity

Question 4

What happens to perfusion when brain enlarges

Answer 4

it decreases

Question 5

Systemic contributions to secondary brain injury (5)

Answer 5

Hypotension
Hypoxia
Hypo- or hyper- glycaemia
Hypo- or hypercapnia
Hyperthermia

Question 6

Initial TBI patient assessment and management (3)

Answer 6

Hypovolaemia and hypoxaemia must be recognised and treated
Neurological assessment
Score on Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS)

Question 7

What does MGSC tell us

Answer 7

Modified Glasgow Coma Scale
Related to survival over a 48 hr period
Higher score= better prognosis
Level of consciousness most reliable measure of impaired cerebral function