Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Aug 2013
Decompressive craniectomy, interhemispheric hygroma and hydrocephalus: a timeline of events?
Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a known risk factor for the development of post-traumatic hydrocephalus. The occurrence of subdural hygroma (SH) was also reported in 23-56% of patients after DC and it seemed to precede hydrocephalus in more than 80% of cases. We analyzed the relationship among DC, SH and hydrocephalus. ⋯ Craniectomy close to the midline can predispose patients to the development of hydrocephalus. SH could be generated with the same mechanism, and these three events could be correlated on a timeline.
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Over the past 70years, diffuse axonal injury (DAI) has emerged as one of the most common and important pathological features of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Axons in the white matter appear to be especially vulnerable to injury due to the mechanical loading of the brain during TBI. As such, DAI has been found in all severities of TBI and may represent a key pathologic substrate of mild TBI (concussion). ⋯ In addition, recent evidence suggests that TBI may induce long-term neurodegenerative processes, such as insidiously progressive axonal pathology. Indeed, axonal degeneration has been found to continue even years after injury in humans, and appears to play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease-like pathological changes. Here we review the current understanding of DAI as a uniquely mechanical injury, its histopathological identification, and its acute and chronic pathogenesis following TBI.
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Review
Biomarkers for the clinical differential diagnosis in traumatic brain injury--a systematic review.
Rapid triage and decision-making in the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) present challenging dilemma in "resource poor" environments such as the battlefield and developing areas of the world. There is an urgent need for additional tools to guide treatment of TBI. The aim of this review is to establish the possible use of diagnostic TBI biomarkers in (1) identifying diffuse and focal brain injury and (2) assess their potential for determining outcome, intracranial pressure (ICP), and responses to therapy. ⋯ There is limited research focusing on the differential diagnostic properties of biomarkers in TBI. This fact warrants the need for greater efforts to innovate sensitive and reliable biomarkers. We advocate awareness and inclusion of the differentiation of injury type and ICP elevation in further studies with brain injury biomarkers.
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The Journal of pediatrics · Aug 2013
Case ReportsDedicated retinal examination in children evaluated for physical abuse without radiographically identified traumatic brain injury.
To determine the rate of retinal hemorrhages in children evaluated for physical abuse without traumatic brain injury (TBI) by diagnostic imaging. ⋯ Forensically significant retinal hemorrhages are unlikely to be found in children evaluated for physical abuse without TBI on neuroimaging, and such children may not require routine dedicated retinal examination.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Aug 2013
Correlation between voluntary cough and laryngeal cough reflex flows in patients with traumatic brain injury.
To correlate voluntary cough and laryngeal cough reflex (LCR) flows in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ As LCR can be measured as a numerical value and significantly correlates with PCF, LCR can be used to estimate cough ability of patients with TBI who cannot cooperate with PCF measurement.