TBI

Question 1

What are focal TBI’s? What are the types?

Answer 1

They only affect one area of the brain. They types include closed head trauma, contusion, and coup/contrecoup.

Question 2

What is a closed head trauma?

Answer 2

the head hits a large immobile surface or a rapidly moving object strikes the head. the dura remains intact and the cranial contents do not spew out into the environment. this can lead to concussions.

Question 3

What is a coup-contrecoup?

Answer 3

this occurs when something that strikes the head causes the brain to rebound to the opposite side of the original injury and strike the inside of the skull. this causes the brain to be injured at the original site and the site opposite of it.

Question 4

what is a contusion?

Answer 4

bruising of brain tissue

Question 5

what occurs in closed head injuries?

Answer 5

an immediate loss of consciousness for <5 minutes, and a momentary loss of respirations, bradycardia, and low BP. Vitals will stabilize quickly though.

Question 6

What is an open trauma injury?

Answer 6

occurs when the dura is damaged and the contents of the cranial vault spill out into environment.

Question 7

What type of fractures occur in open trauma injury?

Answer 7

basilar skull fractures occur in open trauma injury and usually involve the temporal lobe. this causes CSF to leak into the ear canal and causes Battle’s sign which is a hematoma behind the ear.

Question 8

what is a DAI or diffuse brain injury?

Answer 8

occurs from a shaking force that causes tearing, shearing, of nerve fibers and ultimately axonal damage.

Question 9

What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy?

Answer 9

neurodegenerative disorder which results from repeated trauma to the brain.
hallmark sign is the tau protein deposition throughout the brain
the diagnosis cant be made definitive until after death, requiring an autopsy

Question 10

what protein is found in those with CTE?

Answer 10

the gene apolipoprotein E4 increases the risk for developing CTE