Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important cause of death and disability, particularly in younger populations. The prehospital evaluation and management of TBI is a vital link between insult and definitive care and can have dramatic implications for subsequent morbidity. Following a TBI the brain is at high risk for further ischemic injury, with prehospital interventions targeted at reducing this secondary injury while optimizing cerebral physiology. ⋯ We evaluate patient management strategies including indications for advanced airway management, oxygenation, ventilation, and fluid resuscitation, as well as prehospital strategies for the management of suspected or impending cerebral herniation including hyperventilation and brain-directed hyperosmolar therapy. Transport decisions including the role of triage models and trauma centers are discussed. Finally, future directions in the prehospital management of traumatic brain injury are explored.
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Frontiers in neurology · Jan 2015
Effects of blast overpressure on neurons and glial cells in rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures.
Due to recent involvement in military conflicts, and an increase in the use of explosives, there has been an escalation in the incidence of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) among US military personnel. Having a better understanding of the cellular and molecular cascade of events in bTBI is prerequisite for the development of an effective therapy that currently is unavailable. The present study utilized organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHCs) exposed to blast overpressures of 150 kPa (low) and 280 kPa (high) as an in vitro bTBI model. ⋯ Labeling OHCs with PI, neuronal, and glial markers revealed that the blast-evoked extensive neuronal death and to a lesser extent loss of glial cells. Furthermore, our data demonstrated activation of astrocytes and microglial cells in low- and high-blasted OHCs, which reached a statistically significant difference in the high-blast group. These data confirmed that our in vitro bTBI model is a useful tool for studying cellular and molecular changes after blast exposure.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of long-term outcomes following traumatic injury: What is the unique experience for those with brain injury compared with orthopaedic injury?
Whilst it has been well-demonstrated that traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in long-term cognitive, behavioural and emotional difficulties, less is understood about how these outcomes differ from those following traumatic orthopaedic injury (TOI). The aim of this study was to compare self-reported outcomes at 5-10 years post-injury for those with TBI, TOI, and uninjured controls. It was hypothesised that participants with TBI would have greater cognitive difficulties; participants with TOI and TBI would have similar functional and physical outcomes, both being poorer than controls; and participants with TBI would have poorer psychosocial outcomes than those with TOI. ⋯ Both TOI and TBI cause long-term disability, interference from pain, and psychological distress. However, cognitive impairments, unemployment, lack of long-term relationships, anxiety and PTSD are more substantial long-term problems following TBI. Findings from this study have implications for managing risks associated with these injury groups and tailoring rehabilitation to improve long-term outcomes.
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Neuropsych Dis Treat · Jan 2015
ReviewPituitary dysfunction following traumatic brain injury: clinical perspectives.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well recognized public health problem worldwide. TBI has previously been considered as a rare cause of hypopituitarism, but an increased prevalence of neuroendocrine dysfunction in patients with TBI has been reported during the last 15 years in most of the retrospective and prospective studies. Based on data in the current literature, approximately 15%-20% of TBI patients develop chronic hypopituitarism, which clearly suggests that TBI-induced hypopituitarism is frequent in contrast with previous assumptions. This review summarizes the current data on TBI-induced hypopituitarism and briefly discusses some clinical perspectives on post-traumatic anterior pituitary hormone deficiency.
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By analysing risk-adjusted mortality ratios, weaknesses in the process of care might be identified. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the main cause of death in trauma, and thus it is crucial that trauma prediction models are valid for TBI patients. Accordingly, we assessed the validity of the RISC score in TBI patients by internal and external validation analyses. ⋯ The RISC score was found to be of limited predictive value in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI. A new general trauma scoring system that includes TBI specific prognostic factors is warranted.