Types of Head and Brain Injuries Flashcards
What are the types of fractures a person my have on their skull?
- Can be closed or open
- Linear
- Depressed
- Comminuted
- Baslar
- Impaled object
What is the difference between a head and brain injury?
Head injury is damage to the soft tissue, intracranial structures or the skeletal structure of the head
Brain injury is where there is damage to the brain as a result of a head injury. This can be primarily due to the initial impact of secondary.
What are the sings for basal skull fractures
- Battlers signs (bruising behind the ear associated with lower areas of skull and the ear canal)
- Racoon eyes (bruising under and around the eyes) associated with orbital fractures
- CFS Leaking out of the ears or mouth as the dura mater has been torn.
What are the different types of brain bleeds that may occur?
Epidural heamotoma
Subdural heamotoma
Subarachnoid Heammoarage
Intracranial haemorrhage
Describe an epidural heamotoma?
Bleeding between the dura mater and the skull generally caused by damage to the mengial artery. Occurs commonly due to motor bike accidents and in young people but are rare. There is often a loss of consciousness after a period of lucidity and then deterioration in 20% of patient
Describe a subdural heamotoma?
The occur between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater and are often due to acceleration and deceleration shearing injuries where the veins are torn. These are venous bleeds and can progress slowly. They are most commonly in elderly and alcohol affected patients. If there is an acute subdural heamotoma there will be a rapid loss of consciousness. and there may not be the presentation of clinical signs from days to weeks
Describe a subarachnoid haemorrhage
Bleeding in the subarachnoid space after blunt force trauma to the head. These occur because of the shearing of the subarachnoid vessels and can occur in any age group. The common clinical features are similar to a stroke
