chapter 29: head and spine

anterograde (posttraumatic) amnesia

inability to remember events after an injury, can’t make new memories

axial loading injuries

injuries in which load is applied along the vertical or longitudinal axis of the spine, which results in load being transmitted along the entire length of the vertebral column; ex: falling from a height and landing on the feet in an upright position

basilar skull fx

fx that usually occur following diffuse impact to the head (mvc, falls); result from extension of a linear fx to the base of the skull and can be difficult to diagnose with a radiograph

battle signs

bruising behind the ear indicating skull fx

central neurogenic hyperventilation

an abnormal breathing pattern associated with increased ICP characterized by deep, rapid breathing; similar to Kussmaul repsirations but without an acetone breath odor

cerebral edema

swelling of the brain

closed head injury

injury in whihc the brain has been injured but skin is not broken with no obvious bleeding

concusssion

temporary loss or alteration of part or all of the brain’s abilities to function without physical damage to the brain

coup-contrecoup injury

brain injury that occurs when force is applied to the head and energy transmission through brain tissues causes injury on the opposite side of the original impact

epidural hematoma

accumulation of blood between the skull and dura mater

eyes-forward position

head position in which the pts eyes are looking straight ahead and the head and torso are in line

four person log roll

recommended procedure for moving a pt with a suspected spinal injury from the ground to lsb or other spinal precaution device

intervertebral disks

tough elastic structures between adjoining vertebrae that act as shock absorbers

intracerebral hematoma

bleeding within the brain tissue (parenchyma) itself; also referred to as an intraparenchymal hematoma

intracrainal pressure ICP

pressure within the crainal vault

involuntary activities

actions of the body that are not under a person’s conscious control

linear skull fx

fx that commonly occur in the temporoparietal region of the skull and that are not associated with deformities to skull; 80% of all skull fx; aka non displaced skull fx

meninges

threee distinct layers of tissue that surround and protect the brain and psinal cord within the skull and spinal canal

open head injury

caused by penetration where there is bleeding and exposed tissue

primary (direct) injury

injury to the brain and its associated structures that is a direct result of impact to the head

raccoon eyes, ecchymosis

brusing under the eyes indicating skull fx

retrograde amnesia

inability to remember events leading up to a head injury

secondary (indirect) injury

aftereffects of primary injury; abnormal processes like cerebral edema, increased ICP, cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, and infection, onset is delayed following primary brain injury

subarachnoid hemorrhage

bleeding into the subarachnoid space, where CSF ciruclates

subdural hematoma

an accumultion of blood beneath the dura mater but outside the rain

traumatic brain injury TBI

traumatic insult to the brain capable of producing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and vocational changes

voluntary acitivies

actions that we consciously perform, in which sensory input or conscious thought determines a specific muscular activity