It is the alteration in neurological and/or cerebral function due to the transmission of an external energy that causes moderate physical damage to the central nervous system.
It represents a serious public health challenge as it is the most common cause of death and disability in young people.
The lesion is produced due to the transmission of a force or external energy as a consequence of a fall, accident or direct blow.
The symptoms depend on the type of traumatism, the part of the brain that has been affected and the severity of the injury. These may present at first as a loss of consciousness, headache, vomiting, nausea, lack of coordination, balance alteration, changes in the sleep patterns, behaviour or mood, confusion, amnesia and attentional or reasoning issues.
The diagnosis is made through clinical history, physical examination and neuroimaging tests.
Treatment should be started early to minimise later sequelae. In many cases, it requires being admitted to an intensive care unit, where the patient will be stabilised and life-threatening situations will be corrected.
- J Claude Hemphill, III, MD, MAS. Traumatic brain injury: Epidemiology, classification, and pathophysiology. Uptodate. Nov 08, 2016.
- J Claude Hemphill, III, MD, MAS, Nicholas Phan, MD, FRCSC, FACS. Management of acute severe traumatic brain injury. Uptodate. Feb 10, 2015.
- Feigin VL, Theadom A, Barker-Collo S, et al. Incidence of traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: a population-based study. Lancet Neurol 2013; 12:53.
- Ilie G, Boak A, Adlaf EM, et al. Prevalence and correlates of traumatic brain injuries among adolescents. JAMA 2013; 309:2550.
- Liao CC, Chiu WT, Yeh CC, et al. Risk and outcomes for traumatic brain injury in patients with mental disorders. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2012; 83:1186.
