ATLS: HEAD TRAUMA

ATLS: HEAD TRAUMA

ATLS: HEAD TRAUMA<br /><br />Last updated: 8/16/13<br /><br />TABLE OF CONTENTS<br /><br />BRAIN INJURY PATHOPHYSIOLOGY<br />- Pathophysiology of localized brain injury<br />- Pathophysiology of generalized brain injury<br /><br />PHYSICAL EXAM<br />- Significance of hypotension after head injury<br /><br />GCS SCORE AND POSTURING<br />- The significance of a GCS score of 5<br />- The significance of decerebrate posturing<br /><br />CONTUSIONS<br />- Most common location of brain injury in contusions<br />- Timing of secondary edema and/or hematoma in contusions<br /><br />EPIDURAL HEMATOMA (EDH)<br />- Characteristics of an epidural hematoma<br /><br />SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE (SAH)<br />- Characteristics of a subarachnoid hemorrhage<br /><br />DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURY (DAI)<br />- Pathophysiology of diffuse axonal injury<br /><br />INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE (ICP)<br />- Normal ICP reading<br />- Indications for ICP monitoring<br />- ICP monitoring vs ventricular pressure monitoring<br /><br />SYNDROME OF INAPPROPRIATE ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE (SIADH)<br />- The serum sodium level in SIADH<br /><br />CSF LEAKS<br />- The causes of CSF leaks<br />- The natural course of CSF leaks<br />- Infectious complications with CSF leaks<br />- The management of CSF leaks<br /><br />SCALP INJURIES<br />- The blood supply to the scalp<br />- The treatment of scalp laceration bleeding<br />- The management of subgaleal hematomas<br />- Nerve complications from scalp lacerations