Guarantee
Define traumatic brain injury
Disruption of normal brain function caused by external force to the head or body
List the causes of traumatic brain injury
1. Motor vehicle accidents
2. Unintentional falls
3. Striking or struck by an object
4. Suicide
5. Assault
Describe the characteristics of an open brain injury
1. Caused from penetration into the brain (e.g.; knife; bullet)
2. Damage more limited to area that comes in contact with penetrating object
3. Higher risk of infection
Define closed brain injury
1. Injury to head in which brain is damaged, but the skull and
meninges remain intact
2. Rapid acceleration/deceleration
Define coup lesion
Contusion on same side of brain as an impact
Define countercoup
Contusion on opposite side of brain as an impact
Describe diffuse axonal injury
1. Shearing or twisting of axons in white matter areas of brain
2. May cause widespread damage resulting in moderate to severe TBI
3. Often not seen on initial MRI or CT scan
, Define epidural hematoma
Blood collects between dura mater and skull
Define subdural hematoma
Blood collects between dura mater and arachnoid mater
Describe blast injury
1. Blast pressure damages the brain
- Direct pressure wave goes through brain tissue
- Oscillation of pressure within brain blood vessels
- Elevation in CSF pressure
2. Head may be struck by (or penetrated by) flying objects
3. Individual may strike head when propelled by blast force
List secondary injury results from biochemical, cellular, and
molecular events after TBI
1. Neuronal injury causes inflammatory response and free-radical
release
2. Hypoxia
3. cerebral edema
4. Elevated intracranial pressure
State normal and abnormal intracranial pressure values
1. More than 20 mmHg
2. Normal is 5-10 mmHg
List symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure
1. Decreased responsiveness
2. Severe headache
3. Vomiting
4. Irritability
5. Swelling of optic nerve
6. Increased BP/decreased HR
Define heterotopic ossification
Abnormal bone formation in soft tissues surrounding joints