Test 3 - Neuro Flashcards
What are the 3 main things inside the skull?
Brain, blood, and CSF
What is the Monro-Kellie Hypothesis?
An increase in any of the 3 main components can increase ICP because the skull is rigid
Brain herniation and death will result, if not resolved
C-Spine vs. Airway
C-Spine = airway priority (prevent worsening of injury)
Maintain C-Spine immobilization
Primary Brain Damage
Damage from physical force (open or closed injury)
Secondary Brain Damage
Neuro damage after the initial injury (high ICP, hematoma, etc.)
Open Injury
The skull is open or fractured
Closed Injury
The skull is intact
Linear Fracture
Single, clean break (common in kids)
Least likely to be fatal
Comminuted Fracture
Multiple fractures with potential bone depression into brain tissue
Requires emergency surgery
Basilar Skull Fracture: description
A fracture at the base of the skull, extends into anterior, middle, and posterior fossa
What can a Basilar Skull Fracture cause?
May cause a tear into the dura mater, resulting in a CSF leak
Basilar Skull Fracture: Clinical Manifestations
- CSF leak
- Facial Palsy
- Nystagmus (eye twitch)
- Facial numbness
- Deafness
- Battle’s Sign
- Raccoon’s Eyes
- Hemotympanum
What can a CSF leak cause?
- Otorrhea
- Rhinorrhea
How do you confirm that fluid is CSF?
- Halo Sign
- Test for glucose or chloride
What is Battle’s Sign?
Ecchymosis behind the ear (indicates basilar skull fx)
What is Raccoon’s Eyes?
Periorbital edem (indicates basilar skull fx)
What is hemotympanum?
Blood in the ear drum causing inflammation
What does Basilar Fracture increase the risk for?
Meningitis
What are signs of Meningitis?
- Increased Temperature
- Nucchal rigidity
Basilar Skull Fracture: Nursing Care
- Assess cranial nerves for vision, hearing, or smell
- Avoid NG, nasal intubation, or use of foreign objects into nares/ears!
- HOB 30 degrees
- Avoid straining, coughing, blowing nose (increases meningitis risk)
- Administer abx
- Watch for meningitis s/s
- Surgery if CSF leak >1 week
Closed Head Injury Types (3)
- Concussion
- Contusion
- Diffuse axonal injury (DAI)
Concussion: description and cause
- Brain strikes inside of skull, causing damge at the cellular level
- Caused by blunt force to the head
Concussion: S/S
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- Brief LOC
What are s/s of post concussion syndrome?
- Personality changes
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Memory loss
- Depression
Is Concussion damage visible on a CT scan?
No. It is at the cellular level
Contusion: description
Bruising of the brain at coup or contrecoup
What is “coup”?
Site of injury
What is “contrecoup”?
Opposite of the site of injury
What is Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)?
Direct injury to axons (twist and/or tear of axons)
What is the result of DAI?
Coma or severe intellectual damage
Can axons heal?
No. Once they have been twisted and torn, there is not going back.
Minor Head Injury Education
- If sleeping, wake q3-4 hr for first 48hr
- HA, Nausea, Dizziness = normal, at least 24 hrs
- Notify HCP become severe or do not improve
- No sedatives for at least 24 hrs
- Frequent neuro checks
What is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)?
A progressive, degenerative brain disease caused by repetitive head traume (athletes, veterans, etc.)
What are S/E of CTE?
- Problems with thinking and memory
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Impaired judgement
- Early, progressive dementia
Brain Laceration Types (3)
- Epidural Hematoma
- Subdural Hematoma
- Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Epidural Hematoma: description and s/s
- Rapid, arterial bleed above the dura
- Lucid interval**
What is a Lucid Interval?
Brief period of lucidity before 2nd LOC
Subdural Hematoma
- Slow, venous bleed between the dura and the brain
* Takes longer to see in geriatrics r/t brain atrophy with age
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
-A bleed inside the brain
Commonly a ruptured aneurysm
What does decorticate mean?
Abnormal stiffness
Glasgow Coma Scale: purpose
To evaluate neuro status in comatose patients
What are the categories assessed with the GCS?
- Eye (4)
- Verbal (5)
- Motor (6)
GCS scores: 15, 7, 3
15- excellent
7- <8 = airway issues, needs intubation
3- completely comatose
Decorticate Positioning: Indicates
Lesion in the cortiocspinal pathway
Decerebrate Positioning: Indicates
Lesion in the brainstem
Normal ICP Value
5-15 mmHg
What ICP value indicateds intracranial HTN?
> 20 mmHg
Measurement of ICP
- HOB at 20-30 degrees
- Level transducer with foramen of Monro/ “Tragus” (the ear)
What is the relationship between ICP and CPP?
Increased ICP = decreased CPP
What can too elevated CPP cause?
Rupture of brain blood vessels
Normal CPP Value
60 mmHg (max 80 mmHg)
How does BP (MAP) relate to CPP?
BP needs to be in a healthy range to maintain proper CPP
How do you calculate MAP?
[(2 x Diastolic BP) + Systolic BP]/3 = MAP
How do you calculate CPP?
MAP - ICP = CPP
What are clinical manifestations of increased ICP?
-#1 sign = LOC change
-Pupillary changes (ipsilateral/same side as injury)
Bilateral changes indicates worsening
-Papilledema
-Motor Changes
-Headache
-Projectile Vomiting
-Cushing’s Triad
What are the steps in worsening motor changes?
Decorticae, Decerebrate, Flaccid paralysis
What is Cushing’s Triad?
- HTN with widdening pulse pressure
- Bradycardia
- Alternating respiratory patterns (Cheyne Stoke)
What are Cheyne Stoke Respirations?
Segments of tachypnea followed by apnea
Maximum Na Level
160
Medicinal Care to reduce Cerebral Edema
-Hypertonic saline (3% NaCl)
-Osmitrol (Mannitol)
Use a filter* (d/t crystallization)
Bolus for best results
-Dexamethasone (Decadron), Solumedrol = steroids per protocol
-Avoid hypotonic fluids (such as D5W or 1/2 NS) will worsen condition
Normal Osmolality Value
295 - 320
What type of medications do you use to treat Vasogenic Edema?
Diuretics
What type of medications do you use to treat Cytotoxic Edema?
Steroids
What is Vasogenic Edema?
Fluid accummulation outside of cells; damage occurs to BBB
What is Cytotoxic Edema?
Fluid accummulation inside of cells
What is the affect of Hypertonic Solutions?
Pulls fluid out of cells, shrinking them
Non-Pharmalogical Care for increased ICP/Cerebral Edema
-HOB degrees to improve venous drainage from brain
-Keep Blood Glucose WNL
Monitor q4h
Normal BG Value
80-120 mg/dL
Significane of hyperglycemia in brain injury
Predictor of poor outcome - associated with UTI, pneumonia, etc.
BP control with increased ICP
- When HTN is severe (>180/95 mmHg)
- Avoid hypotension = cerebral ischemia
What is a severe HTN value?
> 180/95 mmHg
Why do you need to avoid hyperventilation?
hyperventilation = low CO2 = vasoconstriction = ischemia
End tidal CO2 value
30-35 mmHg
PCO2 (ABG) Value for Brain Injury
35-38 mmHg
What can cause a seizure?
Too high temperature
Room Set up for Brain Injury
-Patient’s Temperature is kept ~97 F (36 C)
Need to slowly lower body temp to avoid shivering
-Bedside swallow studies PRN
-Decrease stimuli
-Avoid clustering of care
Measures to prevent ICP increases
What kind of sedatives are given for brain injury?
Non-Barbituates (Diprovan [Propofol])
Anticonvulsants (within 1 weeks of injury)
S/E: bradycardia, hypotension
“Keppra” (1000 mg)
What does OT do?
Helps people regain ability to do ADLs
Brain Death: description
Non-reversible brain injury that precedes cardiac arrest
Organ donation requirements
Donor must have intact heartbeat and circulation (MAP >60)
Organ Donor Eligibility
<65 years old with:
No hx of metastatic cancer
No active sepsis
No evidence of communicable diseases such as Hepatitis or HIV/AIDS
Brain Death Determination
Must be “warm and dead”
- Normal temperature
- No brain activity depressing drugs
- SBP >100
- Etiology of coma known
- No brainstem reflexes (pupillary, ocular, corneal, gag, and cough)
- Apnea test
What is an Apnea Test?
Don’t extubate, but disconnect from the ventilator and only give O2
Compare ABG b4/after for exponentially increased CO2
Additional Brain Death confirmatory tests
- Cerebral angiogram
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Transcranial doppler
What is seen on a Cerebral Angiogram in brain death?
Decreased bloodflow (“Hollow skull”)
Nurse’s Role in Brain Death Care
- Follow state/facility procedures
- Don’t use misleading terms (i.e life support)
- Don’t perform misleading actions (overly cheery, talking to patient as if conscious)
- Document accurate Time of Death
What are things that cause increased Serum Osmolality?
- Dehydration
- Lasix
- Diuretics: Mannitol
- Hypertonic Fluids
What is the function of the Spinal Cord?
It is the highway between the CNS and the Brain
What do the Spincal Cord’s Upper Neurons do?
Send signals from the brain to the spinal cord
What do the Spinal Cord’s Lower Neurons do?
- Sensory: send signals from spinal cord to the brain
- Motor: send signals from spinal cord to the body (reflexes, muscles, etc.)