Head Injury Flashcards
what are the two main types of head injury?
Direct head trauma
Indirect trauma
what are the signs of Direct head trauma?
bruises \+/-skin laceration skull fracture closed injury open injury Extradural heamatoma
what are the signs of Indirect trauma?
No bruises Subdural hematoma Traumatic SAH Contusion IVH Diffuse Axonal Injury
what are some symptoms of a head injury
Headache Nauzea Dizziness Hemiparesis Seizure Double vision Cranial nerve/s palsy Slurred speech Unconciousness Unequal pupils
what are examples of closed head injury?
heamorhage (extradural/subdural) Traumatic SAH Contusion IVH DAI
what is Extradural heamatoma?
buildup of blood between the dura mater and the skull
usually caused by tears in arteries
why is a heamorhage so deadly?
buildup of blood may increase pressure in the intracranial space, compress delicate brain tissue, and cause brain shift.
what is Subdural heamatoma?
Blood gathers between the dura mater and the brain
usually caused by tears in veins
what is contusion?
a region of injured tissue or skin in which blood capillaries have been ruptured
what is Subarachnoid hemorrhage?
bleeding into the subarachnoid space — the area between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater surrounding the brain
what is the classic symptom of subarachnoid hemorrhage?
severe headache with a rapid onset (“thunderclap headache”
what is Intraventricular hemorrhage?
bleeding into the ventricles of the brain
what is Diffuse Axonal Injury?
brain injury in which damage in the form of extensive lesions in white matter tracts occurs over a widespread area.
major cause of unconsciousness/coma after severe head trauma
what is the treatment of a brain injury?
Surgical
Conservative
CSF diversion
Best supportive care
