Understanding head injuries

Ski season is here, and I am reminded of the story of Natasha Richardson (Liam Neeson’s wife), who tragically died of a head injury while skiing without a helmet in 2007. Here in the emergency department, we see many patients with concern for head injuries. We factor what may have caused the injury, your age, what we find when we examine you, the timing of the incident, the medicines you take, as well as some other factors, when deciding whether to do a CT scan or admit you to the hospital. When a head injury causes bleeding in the brain Ms. Richardson died of an epidural hematoma, one of several types of brain bleeding, but arguably one of the most severe. Bleeding inside the skull can occur in several different areas. The brain is covered by three layers of tissue called the meninges. If bleeding occurs between the skull and the outermost brain tissue layer (the dura), it is called an epidural hematoma. These usually occur from high-pressure bleeding from an artery and can rapidly expand, putting pressure on the brain tissue and leading to death within hours. These types of bleeds are almost always treated surgically. Epidural hematomas usually result from high impact mechanisms, and trauma to the sides of the head, near where the larger arteries lie. Bleeding underneath the dural layer of tissue, outside the brain tissue, is usually from a subdural bleed. This is generally a low-pressure bleed from a vein. When found, they may be monitored or treated surgically, dependin...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Brain and cognitive health Injuries Prevention Safety Source Type: blogs