HCIV Unit 4 Exam Questions Answered Correctly Rated A+
What is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? - Answers Damage caused from external mechanical force
Typical causes include falls and MVC's
How is severity of a TBI determined? - Answers Glasgow coma scale
CT
Estimation of the force of trauma
Symptoms
What is a concussion? S/S? - Answers Mild form of a TBI
S/S: cognition changes and headaches
What is a primary brain injury? - Answers Occurs at the time of the injury from blunt or penetrating
force.
What is a focal primary brain injury? - Answers Confined to one specific area
What is a diffuse primary brain injury? - Answers Damage throughout many areas of the brain
What are open brain injuries? - Answers Occurs when the skull is fractured or pierced by a penetrating
object.
What is a closed brain injury? - Answers Occurs when the skull remains intact.
Damage to underlying vessels, rural sinuses, brain and cranial nerves.
What is a sign of a closed brain injury? - Answers Elevated ICP
What is whiplash considered? - Answers Closed brain injury
What is secondary brain injury? - Answers refers to the "after effects" of the primary injury; it includes
abnormal processes such as cerebral edema, intracranial hemorrhage, increased ICP, cerebral ischemia
and hypoxia, and infection.
What is normal ICP? - Answers 10-15mmHg
What sustained ICP is detrimental to the brain? - Answers <20mmHg
What is the leading cause of death from head trauma patients? - Answers Increased ICP, can result in
herniation.
What are the three major types of cranial hemorrhage? - Answers Epidural
, Subdural
Intercerebral
What is a epidural hematoma? - Answers Arterial bleeding into he space between the dura and the inner
skull.
S/S are lucid intervals followed by unconsciousness.
What is a subdural hematoma? - Answers Venous bleeding into the space between the dura and the
arachnoid.
Which type of hematoma has slower bleeding? - Answers Subdural, because of this SDH's have the
highest mortality rate because they are often unrecognized until there is neurological deterioration.
What are the three types of subdural hematomas? - Answers Acute- present within 48hrs
Subacute- present between 48hrs- 2 weeks
Chronic- presents 2 weeks to several months after injury
What is a intracerebral hemorrhage? - Answers the accumulation of blood within the brain tissue caused
by the tearing of small arteries and veins in the subcortical white matter.
What is common to see with a intracerebral hemorrhage? - Answers Midline shift
What is brain herniation syndrome? - Answers A shifting of the brain from its normal location into an
adjacent space.
What is uncal herniation? - Answers Shift of one or both areas of the temporal lobe creating pressure on
the oculomotor nerve.
S/S blown pupils
What a central herniation? - Answers Downward shift of the brain stem and diencephalon from a
supratentorial lesion.
S/S Cheyne stokes breathing, pinpoint non reactive pupils, hemodynamic instability.
What are the important assessments in the case of TBI's? - Answers History: LOC, Seizure, where/how
the injury occurred
Physical assessment: protect airway and spine, cognitive findings, sleep disturbances
Psychosocial assessment: emotionally lability
What are s/s of TBI's? - Answers Depends on the severity of injury
Subtle changes in BP, pupillary reaction and LOC can be very informative.
What is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? - Answers Damage caused from external mechanical force
Typical causes include falls and MVC's
How is severity of a TBI determined? - Answers Glasgow coma scale
CT
Estimation of the force of trauma
Symptoms
What is a concussion? S/S? - Answers Mild form of a TBI
S/S: cognition changes and headaches
What is a primary brain injury? - Answers Occurs at the time of the injury from blunt or penetrating
force.
What is a focal primary brain injury? - Answers Confined to one specific area
What is a diffuse primary brain injury? - Answers Damage throughout many areas of the brain
What are open brain injuries? - Answers Occurs when the skull is fractured or pierced by a penetrating
object.
What is a closed brain injury? - Answers Occurs when the skull remains intact.
Damage to underlying vessels, rural sinuses, brain and cranial nerves.
What is a sign of a closed brain injury? - Answers Elevated ICP
What is whiplash considered? - Answers Closed brain injury
What is secondary brain injury? - Answers refers to the "after effects" of the primary injury; it includes
abnormal processes such as cerebral edema, intracranial hemorrhage, increased ICP, cerebral ischemia
and hypoxia, and infection.
What is normal ICP? - Answers 10-15mmHg
What sustained ICP is detrimental to the brain? - Answers <20mmHg
What is the leading cause of death from head trauma patients? - Answers Increased ICP, can result in
herniation.
What are the three major types of cranial hemorrhage? - Answers Epidural
, Subdural
Intercerebral
What is a epidural hematoma? - Answers Arterial bleeding into he space between the dura and the inner
skull.
S/S are lucid intervals followed by unconsciousness.
What is a subdural hematoma? - Answers Venous bleeding into the space between the dura and the
arachnoid.
Which type of hematoma has slower bleeding? - Answers Subdural, because of this SDH's have the
highest mortality rate because they are often unrecognized until there is neurological deterioration.
What are the three types of subdural hematomas? - Answers Acute- present within 48hrs
Subacute- present between 48hrs- 2 weeks
Chronic- presents 2 weeks to several months after injury
What is a intracerebral hemorrhage? - Answers the accumulation of blood within the brain tissue caused
by the tearing of small arteries and veins in the subcortical white matter.
What is common to see with a intracerebral hemorrhage? - Answers Midline shift
What is brain herniation syndrome? - Answers A shifting of the brain from its normal location into an
adjacent space.
What is uncal herniation? - Answers Shift of one or both areas of the temporal lobe creating pressure on
the oculomotor nerve.
S/S blown pupils
What a central herniation? - Answers Downward shift of the brain stem and diencephalon from a
supratentorial lesion.
S/S Cheyne stokes breathing, pinpoint non reactive pupils, hemodynamic instability.
What are the important assessments in the case of TBI's? - Answers History: LOC, Seizure, where/how
the injury occurred
Physical assessment: protect airway and spine, cognitive findings, sleep disturbances
Psychosocial assessment: emotionally lability
What are s/s of TBI's? - Answers Depends on the severity of injury
Subtle changes in BP, pupillary reaction and LOC can be very informative.
