Ch.34 Head and Spinal Trauma Flashcards
(95 cards)
What does SCALP stand for?
S—Skin
C—Connective tissue: subcutaneous fat and fibrous tissue
A—Aponeurosis: A sheet of deep fascia stretching over the cranium from frontal bone to occipital bone. Also known as the galea aponeurotica.
L—Loose Areolar tissue: a layer of collagen and other connective tissues
P— Periosteum: Tough outer layer of the bones of the skull
A condition that occurs with flexion injuries or fractures, resulting in the displacement of bony fragments into the anterior portion of the spinal cord. Findings include paralysis below the level of the insult and loss of pain, temperature, and touch perception.
anterior cord syndrome
Loss of memory of events that occurred after the injury.
anterograde (posttraumatic) amnesia
The middle membrane of the three meninges that enclose the brain and spinal cord.
arachnoid
A late, life-threatening complication of spinal cord injury in which stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system below the level of injury generates a massive, uninhibited, uncompensated cardiovascular response; also known as autonomic hyperreflexia.
autonomic dysreflexia
An increase in mean arterial pressure to compensate for decreased cerebral perfusion pressure; compensatory physiologic response that occurs in an effort to shunt blood to the brain; manifests clinically as hypertension.
autoregulation
A long, slender extension of a neuron (nerve cell) that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuronal soma.
axon
Upward movement of the toe(s) in response to stimulation to the sole of the foot. Under normal circumstances, the toe(s) move downward.
Babinski reflex
Fracture generally resulting from the extension of a linear fracture into the base of the skull; usually occurs after a diffuse impact to the head (as in a fall or motor vehicle crash) and can be difficult to diagnose, even with radiography.
basilar skull fracture
Bruising over the mastoid bone behind the ear often seen after a basilar skull fracture; also called retroauricular ecchymosis.
Battle sign
Irregular pattern, rate, and depth of respirations with intermittent periods of apnea; result from increased intracranial pressure.
Biot (ataxic) respirations
The midbrain, pons, and medulla, collectively.
brainstem
A condition associated with penetrating trauma and characterized by hemisection of the spinal cord and complete damage to all spinal tracts on the involved side.
Brown-Séquard syndrome
The location where the spinal cord separates; composed of nerve roots.
cauda equina
A neurologic condition caused by compression of the bundle of nerve roots located at the end of the spinal cord.
cauda equina syndrome
A condition resulting from hyperextension injuries to the cervical area that damage the dorsal column of the spinal cord; characterized by hemorrhage or edema. Findings include greater loss of function in the upper extremities, with variable sensory loss of pain and temperature.
central cord syndrome
Deep, rapid respirations; similar to Kussmaul, but without an acetone breath odor; commonly seen after brainstem injury.
central neurogenic hyperventilation
The brain region essential in coordinating muscle movements in the body; also called the athlete’s brain.
cerebellum
Injury that occurs when the brain is jarred around in the skull; a mild diffuse brain injury that does not result in structural damage or permanent neurologic impairment.
cerebral concussion
A focal brain injury in which brain tissue is bruised and damaged in a defined area.
cerebral contusion
The largest portion of the cerebrum; regulates voluntary skeletal movement and a person’s level of awareness—a part of consciousness.
cerebral cortex
Excessive fluid in the brain; swelling of the brain.
cerebral edema
The pressure of blood flow through the brain; the difference between the mean arterial pressure and intracranial pressure.
cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)
Fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain that flows in the subarachnoid space and bathes the meninges.
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)