Traumatic Brain Injury

Question 1

What is a localised brain injury?

Answer 1

Coup = direct impact
Contrecoup = secondary damage away from injury site

Question 2

What is a widespread brain injury?

Answer 2

Diffuse axonal injury(brain stem, closed head injury)coma, mortality 33-50%

Question 3

What is Hypoxic Brain Injury?

Answer 3

Insufficient oxygen and glucose supply to brain tissue

Question 4

What is a Hypoxic Brain Injury caused by?

Answer 4

Smoke inhalation
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Cardiac arrest
Strangulation
Drowning
Drug overdose
Traumatic birth
Stroke
Electrocution

Question 5

Pathophysiology of brain injury

Answer 5

Brain Suffers traumatic injury

Brain swelling or bleeding increased intracranial volume

Rigid cranium allows no room for expansion of contents so intracranial pressure increases

Pressure on blood vessels within the brain causes blood flow to the brain to slow

Cerebral hypoxia and ischaemia occur

Intracranial pressure continues to rise. Brain may herniate.

Cerebral blood flow ceases

Question 6

What damage to the brainstem cause?

Answer 6

Loss of consciousness
Interruption of normal breathing
Interruption of cardiac function
Fixed dilated pupils