Neuro Trauma
What is neurotrauma?
Neurotrauma is an injury to the nerves, head, or spine that occurs suddenly. Concussions, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal column fractures, skull fractures, and spinal cord injuries are common injuries (SCI).
Most hospitals have a team of neurosurgeons who are specially qualified and prepared to detect and manage all types of neurotrauma. Let us now look at the various types of neurotrauma.
Damage to the head:
Head injuries can range from a minor bump on the head to major brain trauma. It is sometimes caused by a blow to the head or skull. That can even happen if you crash or if you experience rapid deceleration and acceleration.
Your brain cells can become unstable as a result of a head injury. The severity of your injuries and how long they will last are determined by how badly you get injured.
The type of brain trauma’s you might get include:
- Concussion
- TBI (mild)
- TBI of moderate severity
- The fracturing of the depressed skull
- Damage to the craniofacial area
- Hematoma in the epidural space
- Subdural hematoma (acute)
- Subdural hematoma, both acute and chronic
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage as a result of a traumatic brain injury
- A slip, crash, or car accident can also cause an injury to the spinal column (thoracic, cervical, or lumbosacral spine) or spinal cord.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) with severe consequences (typically involves a coma)
- A piercing brain injury
- Intracerebral hemorrhage/brain contusion as a result of a traumatic injury
- A traumatic leak of cerebrospinal fluid
- Pseudoaneurysm caused by a traumatic event
- Cerebrovascular damage that isn’t serious
- Injury to the spine
There are many types of spine damage, each of varying degrees of severity, just like head injuries. You can be either paralyzed or frail as a result of what happened. The type of spine trauma you might get included.
- Damage to the spinal cord
- Damage to the craniocervical spine
- Fracture to the cervical spine
- Damage to the thoracic spine
- Anterior wedge (compression) fracture
- Crack with a burst
- The possibility of a fracture
- Dislocation-fracture
- Pars defect due to trauma (spondylolysis)
- Spondylolisthesis due to trauma
- Damage to the lumbosacral spine
- Dissociation of the atlanto-occipital lobe
- Jefferson fracture (C1)
- Hangman’s crack (C2)
- Injury due to hyperflexion
- Damage caused by hyperextension
- Fracture of the odontoid (dens)
- TCS (trauma to the central nervous system)
- Facets that are perched/jumping
- Herniation of the intervertebral disc as a result of a traumatic injury.
- A sapropelic fracture that is complicated
- Damage caused by compression
- Injury due to distraction
- Damage to the ligaments of the spine
How is neurotrauma diagnosed?
Neurotrauma may occur on its own or in conjunction with other injuries to the body. Many people who have suffered a severe spine or brain injury go to the emergency room (ER) and do not need an appointment.
When you arrive in the emergency room, the doctor immediately assesses you for a spinal or brain injury. A brain scan allows us to get a clear picture of the injuries. In general, doctors use a computed tomography (CAT or CT) scan of the spine or brain or use magnetic resonance imaging instead (MRI).
Treatments for neurotrauma:
Most doctors handle spinal and head trauma depending on the type of injury and its severity. Mild accidents can only necessitate close monitoring. Severe trauma can require surgery. Particularly if the injury is not severe, some types of injuries necessitate surgery.
Neuropsychological therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and recovery drugs are also available, depending on the needs.
Surgical treatments for neurotrauma injuries include:
- Location of an external ventricular drain
- Control of intracranial pressure
- Multimodal intracranial control
- The location of the lumbar drain
- Placement of a bedside subdural evacuating port device
- Decompression of the spine
- Spinal stabilization with instruments
- Spinal instrumentation that is as minimally invasive as possible
- Fusion of the spine
- Subacute/chronic subdural hematoma burrhole
- A craniotomy is performed to remove the hematoma
- Craniectomy with decompression
- Cryosurgery
- Unstable skull fracture
- The frontal sinus is criminalized
- Complex craniofacial reconstruction
- Repairing a traumatic spill of cerebral spinal fluid
- For spinal injuries, external bracing is used
- Stabilization of the halo
- With a spinal fracture, closed reduction/traction is used
- Spine fracture open reduction/treatment
- Instrumentation and fusion of the sapropelic spine
- Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty
Many people who have suffered minor spinal injuries to the back or head recover entirely. And after a minor injury, such as a migraine, you can experience symptoms that do not go away. We will continue to collaborate with you if anything happens.