Articles: brain-injuries.
-
The beneficial effect of decompressive craniectomy in the treatment of head trauma patients is controversial. The aim of our study was to assess the value of unilateral decompressive craniectomy in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. ⋯ Although there was a significant decrease in midline shift after craniectomy, this did not translate into decompressive craniectomy demonstrating a beneficial effect on patient outcome.
-
Brain injury : [BI] · Aug 2000
Comparative StudyFunctional outcome for African Americans and Hispanics treated at a traumatic brain injury model systems centre.
To describe the demographics, incidence and functional outcome for African Americans and Hispanics treated at a traumatic brain injury (TBI) model systems centre. ⋯ Unmarried African American males, with an average age of 35 years, predominated at this institution. The primary mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accidents. The majority of patients had, at least, a high school education or passed an equivalency exam, were employed at the time of their injury and were discharged to their prior private residence. While half of the patients met criteria for moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption, only one-third of the patients reported a history of pre-morbid illicit drug use. This descriptive analysis supports the need for further investigation of minority populations that sustain TBI and will enhance the accuracy of implications that minority status may have on functional outcome.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2000
Immediate coma following inertial brain injury dependent on axonal damage in the brainstem.
Immediate and prolonged coma following brain trauma has been shown to result from diffuse axonal injury (DAI). However, the relationship between the distribution of axonal damage and posttraumatic coma has not been examined. In the present study, the authors examine that relationship. ⋯ These results suggest that injury to axons in the brainstem plays a major role in induction of immediate posttraumatic coma and that DAI can occur without coma.
-
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been shown to induce a significant change in polyamine metabolism. Polyamines and polyamine-dependent calcium influx play an important role in mediating the effects of excitotoxic amino acids at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor site. We studied the effects of ifenprodil, known as a noncompetitive inhibitor of polyamine sites at the NMDA receptor, on brain edema formation, blood-brain barrier breakdown, and volume of injury after TBI. ⋯ The polyamine-site NMDA receptor antagonist ifenprodil affords significant neuroprotection in a controlled cortical impact brain injury model and may hold promise for the discovery and treatment of the mechanism of delayed neurological deficits after TBI.