CLOSED HEAD TRAUMA

Course overview

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) IS AN INJURY TO THE BRAIN FROM AN EXTERNAL MECHANICAL FORCE. TBI CAN GENERALLY BE CLASSIFIED AS EITHER CLOSED OR PENETRATING, WITH THE LATTER DISTINGUISHED BY A VIOLATION OF THE SKULL AND DURA MATER. OF THE TWO, CLOSED HEAD INJURY (CHI) IS FAR MORE COMMON. TYPES OF CHI INCLUDE CONCUSSION, CONTUSION, DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURY, AND INTRACRANIAL HEMATOMA (EPIDURAL HEMATOMA, SUBDURAL HEMATOMA, SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE, AND INTRAPARENCHYMAL HEMORRHAGE). THIS ACTIVITY WILL FOCUS ONLY ON CLOSED HEAD INJURY, AND THE TERMS TBI AND CHI WILL BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CLOSED HEAD TRAUMA AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.