Head injury

Description Head injuries range...

Description

Head injuries range from minor trauma to concussions, unconsciousness and death. Traumatic injury to the brain can cause bleeding on the surface of the brain or within the brain. The brain can be permanently damaged by this trauma. Coma occurs when the central portion of the brain is unable to activate or stimulate the rest of the brain to wakefulness or when there is extensive injury to the brain. Head injuries can also produce fractures of the skull. Depressed skull fractures can cause a piece of bone to penetrate or deform the brain. Basilar skull fractures involve the base of the skull. They can injure the nerves that pass through these regions and produce cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Symptoms

Headache, bleeding from the face or scalp, nose or ear, bruising behind ear, dizziness, visual problems, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), nausea, vomiting, neurologic abnormalities, confusion, instability, paralysis of a leg or arm, abnormal breathing, seizures, unconsciousness, death.

Tests

Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment

Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed with particular attention to neurologic abnormalities. A CT scan and/or MRI may be recommended to rule out fractures, bruising of the brain, and bleeding into or near the brain.

Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Urinalysis (UA), X-ray

Specialists:
Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery

Treatment

Therapy is determined by the severity of the injury and may include: observation, diuretics (mannitol) to decrease swelling, anti-seizure medications, anti-nausea medications, mechanical ventilation, and/or neurosurgery. Steroids are no longer recommended.