Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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In a trauma situation, it is essential that emergency room physicians are able to think clearly, make decisions quickly and manage patients in a way consistent with their injuries. In order for emergency medicine residents to adequately develop the skills to deal with trauma situations, it is imperative that they have the opportunity to experience such scenarios in a controlled environment with aptly timed feedback. ⋯ The following describes a simulation session in which trainees were tasked with managing an infantile patient who had experienced a major trauma as a result of a single vehicle accident. The described simulation session utilized human patient simulators and was tailored to junior (year 1 and 2) emergency medicine residents.
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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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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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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2015
Subdural hygroma following decompressive craniectomy or non-decompressive craniectomy in patients with traumatic brain injury: Clinical features and risk factors.
Subdural hygroma (SDG) is a common complication that can occur after head trauma or secondary to decompressive craniectomy (DC). SDGs can be located not only ipsilateral or contralateral to the side of the DC, but also bilateral or unilateral in patients without DC. This study investigated the incidence and risk factors for different types of SDG in a large cohort of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ This study suggested that the incidence of SDG in patients who have and have not undergone DC was identical; however, the patients' characteristics and risk factors differed. Therefore, the management and prediction of SDG should be performed according to SDG type.
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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.