Chapter 28: Head and spine injuries
This flashcard set outlines the structure and function of the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and protective layers like the meninges. It covers the roles of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem, emphasizing functions such as consciousness, coordination, and vital life processes.
central nervous system
brain, spinal cord, nuclei and cell bodies of most nerve cells
Key Terms
central nervous system
brain, spinal cord, nuclei and cell bodies of most nerve cells
brain
center of consciousness
cerebrum
contains 75% of the brains total volume
cerebellum
coordinates balance and body movements
brainstems
controls virtually all the functions that are necessary for life
spinal cord
mostly made up of fibers that extend from the brains nerve cells white matter consists of fiber pathways
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
central nervous system | brain, spinal cord, nuclei and cell bodies of most nerve cells |
brain | center of consciousness |
cerebrum | contains 75% of the brains total volume |
cerebellum | coordinates balance and body movements |
brainstems | controls virtually all the functions that are necessary for life |
spinal cord | mostly made up of fibers that extend from the brains nerve cells white matter consists of fiber pathways |
meninges | three distinct layers of tissue |
closed brain injury | no opening to the, Injury in which the brain has been injured but the skin has not been broken and there is no obvious bleeding |
open brain injury | opening from the brain to the outside, Injury to the head often caused by a penetrating object in which there may be bleeding and exposed brain tissue |
penetrating trauma | bleeding and exposed brain tissues |
what is the most common moi for brain injury | mva/mvc |
scalp laceration | often a sign of a more serious head injury |
skull fracture | deformed head, visible cracks in skull |
ecchymosis (battle signs) | bruising under eyes and behind ears |
Anterograde (post traumatic) amnesia | Inability to remember events after an injury |
Injuries in which load is applied along the vertical or longitudinal axis of the spine, which results in load being transmitted along the entire length of the vertebral column; for example, falling from a height and landing on the feet in an upright position | Axial loading injuries |
Bruising behind an ear over the mastoid process that may indicate a skull fracture | Battle sign |
Swelling of the brain | Cerebral edema |
A temporary loss or alteration of part or all of the brain’s abilities to function without actual physical damage to the brain | concussion |
Coup-contrecoup injury Intervertebral disc | Dual impacting of the brain into the skull; coup injury occurs at the point of impact; contrecoup injury occurs on the opposite side of impact, as the brain rebounds |
An accumulation of blood between the skull and the dura mater | epidural hematoma |
A head position in which the patient’s eyes are looking straight ahead and the head and torso are in line | Eyes forward position |
The recommended procedure for moving a patient with a suspected spinal injury from the ground to a long backboard or other spinal immobilization device | Four-person log roll |
The cushion that lies between two vertebrae | Intervertebral disc |
Bleeding within the brain tissue (parenchyma) itself; also referred to as an intraparenchymal hematoma | Intracerebral hematoma |
Intracranial pressure (ICP) | The pressure within the cranial vault |
Actions of the body that are not under a person's conscious control | Involuntary activities |
Account for 80% of skull fractures; also referred to as non displaced skull fractures; commonly occur in the temporal-parietal region of the skull; not associated with deformities to the skull | Linear skull fractures |
An injury to the brain and its associated structures that is a direct result of impact to the head | Primary (direct) injury |
The inability to remember events leading up to a head injury | Retrograde amnesia |
The after effects of the primary injury; includes abnormal processes such as cerebral edema, increased intracranial pressure, cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, and infection; onset is often delayed following the primary brain injury | Secondary (indirect) injury |
Subarachnoid hemorrhage Traumatic brain injury (TBI) | Bleeding into the subarachnoid space, where the cerebrospinal fluid circulates |
An accumulation of blood beneath the dura mater but outside the brain | Subdural hematoma |
A traumatic insult to the brain capable of producing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and vocational changes | Traumatic brain injury (TBI) |
Actions that we consciously perform, in which sensory input or conscious thought determines a specific muscular activity The five sections of the spinal column, in descending order, are the: | Voluntary activities |
What part of the nervous system controls the body's voluntary activities? | somatic |
When activated, the sympathetic nervous system produces all of the following effects, |
|
The five sections of the spinal column, in descending order, are the: | cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. |
Hyperextension injuries of the spine are MOST commonly the result of: | hangings |