CLOSED BLUNT CLOSED BLUNT INJURYINJURY

Occurs when the head Occurs when the head accelerates and then accelerates and then rapidly decelerates or rapidly decelerates or collides with another collides with another object (e.g. wall, or object (e.g. wall, or dashboard of a car) dashboard of a car) and brain tissue is and brain tissue is damage, but there is damage, but there is no opening to the no opening to the skull or dura.skull or dura.

OPEN BRAIN OPEN BRAIN INJURYINJURY

Occurs when an object Occurs when an object penetrates the skull, penetrates the skull, enters the brain and enters the brain and damages the soft damages the soft brain tissue in its path brain tissue in its path (penetrating injury).(penetrating injury).

CONCUSSIONCONCUSSION

Temporary loss of Temporary loss of neurologic neurologic function with no function with no apparent apparent structural structural damage.damage.

Involves period of Involves period of unconsciousness.unconsciousness.

CONTUSSIONCONTUSSION

Cerebral contusionCerebral contusion, latin , latin contusio contusio cerebricerebri, a form of traumatic , a form of traumatic brain injurybrain injury, , is a is a bruisebruise of the of the brainbrain tissue. Like bruises tissue. Like bruises in other in other tissuestissues, cerebral contusion can be , cerebral contusion can be caused by multiple microhemorrhages, caused by multiple microhemorrhages, small blood vessel leaks into brain tissue. small blood vessel leaks into brain tissue. Head CT scans of unconscious patients Head CT scans of unconscious patients reveal that 20% have hemorrhagic reveal that 20% have hemorrhagic contusion.contusion.

FEATURESFEATURES

Contusions, which are frequently associated with Contusions, which are frequently associated with [[edema]], are especially likely to cause [[edema]], are especially likely to cause increases in [[intracranial pressure]] (ICP) and increases in [[intracranial pressure]] (ICP) and concomitant crushing of delicate brain tissue. concomitant crushing of delicate brain tissue. Contusions are also more likely to result in Contusions are also more likely to result in hemorrhage than is [[diffuse axonal injury]] hemorrhage than is [[diffuse axonal injury]] because they occur more often in the cortex, an because they occur more often in the cortex, an area with more [[blood vessel]]s.area with more [[blood vessel]]s.

Contusions typically form in a wedge-shape with Contusions typically form in a wedge-shape with the widest part in the outermost part of the brain.the widest part in the outermost part of the brain.

CEREBRAL LACERATIONSCEREBRAL LACERATIONS

Cerebral lacerations, Cerebral lacerations, related to contusions, related to contusions, occur when the occur when the piamater or arachnoid piamater or arachnoid membranes are cut or membranes are cut or torn.torn.

DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURYDIFFUSE AXONAL INJURY

Widespread damage to Widespread damage to axons in the cerebral axons in the cerebral hemispheres, corpus hemispheres, corpus callosum and brain stem.callosum and brain stem.

Can be seen in mild Can be seen in mild moderate, or severe head moderate, or severe head trauma and results in trauma and results in axonal swelling and axonal swelling and disconnection.disconnection.

EPIDURAL HEMATOMAEPIDURAL HEMATOMA Epidural Epidural

Hematoma:Hematoma: a a blood clot that blood clot that forms between the forms between the skull and the top skull and the top lining of the brain lining of the brain (dura). This blood (dura). This blood clot can cause fast clot can cause fast changes in the changes in the pressure inside the pressure inside the brain. Emergency brain. Emergency surgery may be surgery may be needed. The size needed. The size of the clot will of the clot will determine if determine if surgery is needed.surgery is needed.

SUBDURAL HEMATOMASUBDURAL HEMATOMA Subdural Subdural

Hematoma: a blood Hematoma: a blood clot that forms clot that forms between the dura between the dura and the brain and the brain tissue. If this tissue. If this bleeding occurs bleeding occurs quickly it is called quickly it is called an acute subdural an acute subdural hematoma. If it hematoma. If it occurs slowly over occurs slowly over several weeks, it is several weeks, it is called a chronic called a chronic subdural subdural hematoma. The clot hematoma. The clot may cause may cause increased pressure increased pressure and may need to be and may need to be removed surgicallyremoved surgically..

ACUTE AND SUBACUTE ACUTE AND SUBACUTE SUBDURAL HEMATOMASUBDURAL HEMATOMA

ACUTEACUTE

Associated with major Associated with major head injury involving head injury involving contussion and contussion and lacerationslacerations

SUBACUTESUBACUTE

Are the result of less Are the result of less severe contussions severe contussions and head trauma.and head trauma.

CHRONIC SUBDURAL CHRONIC SUBDURAL HEMATOMAHEMATOMA

Can develop Can develop seemingly minor head seemingly minor head injury.injury.

Commonly in elderly.Commonly in elderly. Resembles other Resembles other

conditions.conditions. May be mistaken as May be mistaken as

strokes.strokes.

Bleeding is less Bleeding is less profuse.profuse.

Compressions of the Compressions of the intracranial contents.intracranial contents.

INTRACEREBRAL INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGEHEMORRHAGE

Intracerebral Intracerebral Hemorrhage:Hemorrhage: A A blood clot deep in blood clot deep in the middle of the the middle of the brain that is hard to brain that is hard to remove. Pressure remove. Pressure from this clot may from this clot may cause damage to cause damage to the brain. Surgery the brain. Surgery may be needed to may be needed to relieve the relieve the pressure.pressure.