TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Injury involving the brain resulting from some type of impact and/or acceleration/deceleration of the brain.

Open Head Injury

A type of head injury characterized by a lacerated scalp, skull penetration by an object, and direct damage to brain parts.

Closed-Head Trauma

Head trauma where the skull remains intact, with the brain not exposed to the trauma.

Coup Injury

An injury occurring at the site of impact.

Contrecoup Injury

An injury that occurs when the brain ricochets against the opposite side of the initial point of impact.

Diffuse Axonal Injury

A type of brain damage characterized by shearing and tearing of brain tissue.

Edema

Swelling of the brain or increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Main cause of death in moderate and severe head injury.

Herniation

Downward displacement of the brain caused by edema or hematoma, putting pressure on neighboring brain regions.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

A scale used to measure depth and duration of coma based on motor, verbal, and eye-opening responses.

Post-Traumatic Amnesia

Loss of memory or ability to acquire new information for events after a traumatic brain injury.

Neuropsychological Outcome

Behavioral and cognitive functioning outcomes following a brain injury.

Severity Classification of TBI

Classification based on duration of loss of consciousness, Glasgow Coma Scale score, and length of post-traumatic amnesia.

Cognitive Effects of TBI

Effects include difficulties in attention, memory, speed of processing, and executive functions.

Emotional Effects of TBI

Effects include lack of motivation, irritability, aggression, and depression.

Rehabilitation for TBI

A multi-stage process aimed at recovery, varying based on individual circumstances and injury severity.

Immediate Emergency Care for TBI

Initial medical interventions required right after a traumatic brain injury.

Surgery for TBI

Procedures performed to remove hematomas or repair skull fractures following a traumatic brain injury.

Holistic Approaches in TBI Treatment

Interventions that target cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits to enable patients to perform daily activities.