Traumatic Brain Injury Flashcards
what are the common causes of TBI?
- motor veichle accidents
- cycling accidents
- sports injuries
- violence
name the three potential effects of head injury
- behaviour and personality changes
- cognitive impairment
- motor and sensory deficits changes
what are the behaviour and personality changes that can occur after TBI?
- anxiety
- depression
- loss of motivation
- difficulty controlling anger
- impulsivity
what are the cognitive impairments that can occur after TBI?
- problems with memory, attention and concentration
- low tolerance for noisy or stressful enviroments
- loss of insight and initiative
what are the potential changes in motor and sensory systems after TBI?
- loss of coordination
- muscle rigidity
- epilepsy
- difficulty speaking
- sight/ smell/ taste loss
- fatigue
- sexual problems
- paralysis
how do they access TBI?
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
what does GCS do ?
- monitors changes in conciousness
- monitors motor response, verbal response and eye opening
what does GCS scores mean?
- <8 is a severe head injury (coma)
- 9-12 is a moderate head injury
- > 12 is a mild head injury
what does GCS scores mean?
- <8 is a severe head injury (coma)
- 9-12 is a moderate head injury
- > 12 is a mild head injury
what are the three things GCS check?
- best motor response
- best verbal response
- eye opening
what is a closed head injury?
A trauma causes the brain to be violently shaken inside of the skull, such as a blast injury (no visible wound).
what is a crush injury?
when the head is sandwiched between two hard objects
what is an open/ penetrating injury?
when an object goes through the skull and enters the brain
What is a coup injury?
Primary injury caused when the head stops suddenly and the brain rushes forward. Brain incurs a primary impact injurt at the site of the skull strike as well as surrounding tissue
what is a contrecoup injury?
Secindary injury caused when the brain bounces off the primary surface of impact and goes on to impact the opposite side of the skull. The brain incurs a focal area of damage as well as damage to the nearby surrounding tissue.
what can contrecoup cause?
- confusion
- swelling
- blood clots
what is hyperflexion?
head recoils forward and stops. Occipital lobe strikes back of skull.
what is hyperextension?
Sudden backwards acceleration of skull. Once skull stops moving, the frontal lobe strikes the front of skull.
what is haematoma?
a localised pooling of blood
what is concussion?
temporary neuronal dysfunction
what is contusion?
bruising of brain on impact, damage to blood vessels
what is DAI (Diffuse axonal injury)?
damage to axons throughout brain
what is a haemorrhage?
bleeding from ruptured blood vessels
what is a secondary injury (intacranial)?
evolves over hours, days, weeks after impact
