Traumatic Brain Injuries

Chapter 7

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Head injuries are a leading cause of accidental death in the United States

Damage is caused not only by injury but also by the effect of the brain ricocheting off the sides of the skull– Shaken Baby Syndrome is a good example– NEVER shake a baby!

Concussion

Occurs when brain injury is slight

Patient feels dizzy, ‘see stars,’ or lose consciousness briefly

No permanent brain damage occurs

Contusion

Results in brain tissue destructionSevere brain stem contusions always

result in a coma lasting from hours to a lifetime

If the injury occurs in the cerebral cortex, the individual may remain conscious but possible lose some brain function.

Intracranial hemorrhage

Bleeding from ruptured vessels

Cerebral edema/Hematoma

Swelling of the brain due to inflammation caused by the injury

Swelling or hemorrhage both compress vital brain tissue which can lead to death

Cerebrovascular Accidents

3rd leading cause of death in the US Occurs when blood circulation to a brain area

is blocked (by a blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel)

The vital brain tissue dies Can be diagnosed by observing the patient’s

symptoms

Hemiplegia

If the patient’s left-side is paralyzed, then the right motor cortex of the frontal lobes is probably involved.

Aphasias

Occurs from damage to the left cerebral hemisphere where the language areas are located.

Maddening to the victims because usually their intellect is unaffected.

Can change a person’s personality, too– Motor aphasia: lose ability to speak– Sensory aphasia: loses the ability to

understand written or spoken language

Life after Cerebrovascular Accidents

Fewer than a third are alive three years later. However, some survive because they

recover at least part of their lost faculties. Occurs because undamaged neurons spread

into areas where neurons have died and take over some lost functions.

This is a phenomenon.

Transient Ischemic Attack

These are considered incomplete strokes. They restrict blood flow to parts of the brain. They last from 5 to 50 minutes Characterized by symptoms like

– numbness– temporary paralysis – impaired speech

Effects not permanent but are ‘red flags’ that warn for a future, more serious brain attack