Tag: head facial neck and spine trauma
- Traumatic Brain Injury ()
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) may result from anywhere between a simple blow to the head to a penetrating injury to the brain. In the United States, around 1.7 million people suffer TBI with older adolescents (ages 15 to 19 years) and older adults (ages 65 years and older) among the most likely to sustain a TBI. The […]
- Concussion ()
A concussion is a “traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain function.” Concussions are a subset of the neurologic injuries known as traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries have varying severity, ranging from mild, transient symptoms to extended periods of altered consciousness. Given the usually self-limited nature of symptoms associated with a concussion, the term mild […]
- Diffuse Axonal Injury ()
Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that results from a blunt injury to the brain. In the United States, traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young adults. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are over 1.5 million reported cases […]
- Unstable Facial Fractures ()
Le Fort injuries are complex fractures of the midface, named after Rene Le Fort who studied cadaver skulls that were subjected to blunt force trauma. His experiments determined the areas of structural weakness of the maxilla designated as “lines of weakness” where fractures occurred. These fractures are classified into 3 distinct groups based on the […]
- Basilar Skull Fracture ()
Basilar skull fractures, usually caused by substantial blunt force trauma, involve at least one of the bones that compose the base of the skull. Basilar skull fractures most commonly involve the temporal bones but may involve the occipital, sphenoid, ethmoid, and the orbital plate of the frontal bone as well. Several clinical exam findings highly predictive […]
- Subdural Hematoma ()
A subdural hematoma forms because of an accumulation of blood under the dura mater, one of the protective layers to the brain tissue under the calvarium. The understanding of subdural hematoma relies on the knowledge of neuroanatomical sheets covering the brain. The brain is the central repository of delicate neural tissue. This network of neurons […]
- Epidural Hematoma ()
An epidural hematoma (EDH) is an extra-axial collection of blood within the potential space between the outer layer of the dura mater and the inner table of the skull. It is confined by the lateral sutures (especially the coronal sutures) where the dura inserts. It is a life-threatening condition, which may require immediate intervention and […]
- Penetrating Head Trauma ()
Penetrating brain injury (PBI) is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) which is a significant cause of mortality in young individuals. PBI includes all traumatic brain injuries other than blunt head trauma and constitutes the most severe of traumatic brain injuries. Etiology Based on the speed of penetration, it can be classified into two categories: High-velocity […]
- Battle’s Sign ()
Battle Sign (also called Battle’s Sign) is defined as bruising over the mastoid process. It is retroauricular or mastoid ecchymosis that is typically the result of head trauma. Battle sign derives its name from Dr. William Henry Battle who initially described the sign in the late 1800s. He was an English surgeon who initially described […]
- Assessment & Management Of Patients With Brain Injuries ()
A head injury is a broad term that describes a faster rate of injuries that occur to the scalp, skull brain and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head . Head injuries are commonly referred to as a brain injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI) depending upon the extent of the head trauma. Head […]