TBI/Head trauma/SCI Flashcards
What is the triad portrayed in increased intracranial pressure? What are the symptoms? When is this seen?
- Cushings Triad*
- Increased Systolic BP (Widened pulse pressure)
- Decreased HR
- Decreased Respirations
- VERY LATE STAGE OF increased ICP
The Monro-Kellie Doctrine states?
- Cranial vault is closed system
- If 1 of 3 components increases (brain tissue, blood, csf) and the other 2 do not decrease, ICP will increase.
3 components of the cranial vault?
- Brain tissue- 80%
- Blood - 10%
- CSF - 10%
A _____ fracture is a break in the continuity of the skull bone. (Bone is not moved at all)
Linear/simple
A ______fracture refers to a splintered or multiple fracture line.
comminuted
Note: can involve bone fragments and sharp pieces - displaced
A_____fracture refers to when the bones of the skull are forcefully displaced downward.
Depressed
If ICP remains elevated it can decrease ____? What is this?
- cerebral perfusion pressure
* Net pressure gradient that drives oxygen delivery to the cerebral tissue
What does the GCS measure?
What are the 3 criteria?
What is the range indicating a severe head injury?
- Measures LOC
- Eye opening, Verbal, Motor responses
- 3-8 (scale ranges from 3 to 15)
4 Positioning points for a client with increased ICP?
- Elevated 30-45 degrees or as prescribed (Decreases intracranial pressure by promoting venous drainage)
- Head in neutral position
- avoid excessive neck and hip flexion
- Prevent valsalva maneuver
What happens to the pulse pressure with increasing ICP?
*Widens
A unilaterally dilated and poorly responding pupil may indicate a developing _______. With pressure on the _____ cranial nerve due to _______.
- Hematoma
- 3rd cranial nerve
- shifting of brain
Enlarged ventricles with sometimes little or no increase in intracranial pressure is called?
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Triad of symptoms seen in normal pressure hydrocephalus?
- Gait disturbances - Wide stance, slow steps
- Cognitive impairments
- Impaired bladder control
Describe shunt system used for NPH.
- Burr hole in skull
- Catheter is threaded into ventricle
- Other tip of cath is placed where CSF can be drained (Abdomen/peritoneum).
Complications of ventricular shunt system?
- Symptoms of NPH - gait, cognitive, bladder
* Infection, redness, swelling, fever
Primary vs Secondary brain injury
Primary - initial injury occurring after direct contact to head/brain (contusion, fracture)
Secondary - Evolves hours/days after initial injury as result of inadequate nutrients/o2 to cells (cerebral edema, Seizures)
Difference between open and closed head injuries?
Open = Tear in dura Closed = Dura intact
What are some common clinical manifestations of a Basal skull fracture?
- Raccoon eyes
- Bruising over mastoid (Battle sign)
- CSF otorrhea and rhinorrhea
How can you determine if rhinorrhea/otorrhea contains csf? When is this contradicted?
*Test for presence of glucose, indicating CSF. If there is blood present then Halo test can be done (Yellow ring around blood is csf)
What type of herniation is associated with EDH? What is this considered?
- Uncal herniation (from pressure on midbrain)(decerebrate)
* Extreme emergency - respiratory arrest can occur
What are the symptoms that characterize EDH?
1st - Brief loss of consciousness
2nd - Lucid interval (awake and conversing)- due to compensatory mechanisms where CSF is absorbed.
3rd - Becomes restless and confused, eventually leading to coma, rapidly deteriorating (Compensatory mechanisms fail and slight increase in volume of blood clot cause increase in ICP).
Where does blood collect in an EDH? Where does this blood usually come from? Expansion speed?
- Space between skull and dura mater
- Middle meningeal artery (Arterial blood)
- Rapidly expanding
Where does blood collect in an SDH? Where does this blood usually come from? Expansion speed?
- Space between Dura mater and brain
- Venous from small vessels
- Slow expansion speed (can be acute or chronic)
Prognosis for subarachnoid hemorrhage in clients with TBI? What complication can occur and how is it treated? Causes?
- Poor prognosis
- Vasospasm - decreasing blood flow - treated with CCB nimodipine
- Cerebral aneurysm and head trauma
S+S of Arterial dissection of carotid and vertebral arteries in neck?
- Sudden focal neurologic changes
- Neck pain
- Horners Sign
3 characteristics of horners sign?
- Ipsilateral miosis - Pupil constricted on one side
- Ptosis- Drooping of upper eyelid
- Anhidrosis - abscence of facial sweating
Describe diffuse axonal injury?
- Damage (Tearing) to the axon of the nerve cell
- Immediate and proglonged coma, decorticate/decerebrate posturing, cerebral edema
- Poor prognosis depending on severity
Describe a concussion? How are they graded? What are some long term effects?
- Confusion or loss of consciousness for a short period of time
- graded by duration of mental status abnormalities/loss of consciousness
- Lack of concentration and personality changes
Degenerative brain disease found in individuals with repetitive brain trauma.
Chronic Traumatic encephalopathy
In chronic traumatic encephalopathy, A protein called _____ forms clumps that spread throughout the brain, doing what?
- Tau
* Killing brain cells
Early Signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy? Late signs?
- Early - Mood and behaviors changes (atrophy of the frontal lobe)
- Late - Cognitive, dementia (atrophy of the temporal lobe)
How often do you wake a child with a closed head injury?
Every 2 hours.
What are 4 complications of TBI to monitor for?
- Increased intracranial pressure
- Decreased cerebral perfusion pressure
- Cerebral edema and herniation
- Posttraumatic seizures
How do you calculate MAP?
Double the dystolic pressure and add that number to systolic pressure. Divide total by 3 to get MAP.
Equation to calculate CPP?
CPP=MAP-ICP
Normal ICP range? Goal is to keep ICP below what in a pt with TBI?
- 0-10 mmHG, with the upper limit being 15.
* Goal is to keep below 20
MAP must exceed___ in order for what to occur?
- 65
* Cells to receive adequate o2/nutrients to metabolize energy in sufficient amounts.
Goal is to maintain CPP in what range with a TBI? What happens if it goes too low?
- 70-100 mmHG
- Maintain between 50-70, but generally above 60
- CPP below 50 causes vasodilation and blood volume increase in brain, causing an increase in ICP. Cerebral perfusion is hindered causing hypoxia and ischemia, which leads to brain damage.
3 cardinal signs of brain death on clinical examination?
- Coma
- Absence of brain stem reflexes
- Apnea
What occurs when CPP threshold is reached?
Vasoconstriction of blood vessels and ICP decrease
What should the patients temp be maintained at? How often is this checked? What is done if there is an increase? What should be used with caution and why?
- promote normothermia or mild hypothermia (33-34 degrees C)
- checked every 2 to 4 hours
- If increases, figure out cause. Can be maintained with acetaminophen and cooling devices
- Be cautious using Cooling devices, shivering may occur which can increase ICP.
List the GCS eye opening response scores from greatest to least.
4 - spontaneous
3- to speech
2 - to pain
1 - no response
List the GCS Verbal response from greatest to least.
5 - oriented to time, person, place 4 - confused 3 - inappropriate words 2 - incomprehensible sounds 1 - no response
List the GCS Motor response from greatest to least.
6 - obeys commands 5 - moves towards localized pain 4- flexion withdrawal from pain 3 - abnormal flexion/decorticate 2- abnormal extension/decerebrate 1- no response
What are some causes of fever in TBI?
- Inflammatory respnse
- Infection
- Central Fever (hypothalamic damage)
Two types of herniation that can result from ICP with grave outcomes?
- Central- downward herniation
* Uncal - downward herniation (compresses midbrain)
TBIS can often be associated with what type of injuries? What should be assessed as a result.
- Cervical spine injuries (C1 and C2)
* Assess for indicators of this, such as changes in breathing pattern/need for intubation/mechanical ventilation
Early signs of increased ICP?
*Behavioral/mental changes - restless, irritable, disoriented
late signs of increased ICP?
- Cushings *Cushings Triad
- Severe H/A
- Projectile vomitting/nausea
- Seizures
- Papilledema
______ and _____pupils are a poor prognostic sign of______.
- Fixed/dilated
* Herniation
what is preferred for ICP monitoring? When is this used? What is a benefit of this?
- Ventriculostomy catheter
- Used in people with GCS < *
- Allows drainage of CSF to decrease ICP
When using a ventriculostomy catheter what are 3 important things to remember?
- Sterile technique is critical
- Transducer must be level with patients ear
- Keep ICP below 20mmHg