Investigating head injury (summary)
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Head injuriesInvestigating head injury areis frequently required because head injury is common: in the US there are 1.3 million traumatic brain injuries per year 1. Common causesCauses include falls (children and the elderly), motor vehicle accidents (adults) 1, or direct trauma from an object, assault or inflicted injuries (paediatric patients).
Reference article
This is a summary article; we do not have a more in-depth reference article.
Summary
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assessmentquestions-
history and examination are keys to an accurate diagnosis:- what was the mechanism of injury?
- what was the GCS and what is it now?
- has the patient been unconscious?
- is the patient protecting their airway?
- is the patient safe to leave their current environment?
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investigationinvestigations- CT head
- most useful investigation
- non-contrast examination from vertex to palate
- usually performed as a volume allowing reconstruction
- particularly useful for haemorrhage and fractures
- MRI
- occasionally used
- useful in patients who are not waking up
- CT head
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making the request
- does a CT need to be done?
- NICE guidance, Canadian CT head rules
- does it need to be done urgently?
- why?
- is the patient safe to come to CT?
- does a CT need to be done?
Common pathology
Teaching playlist
-<p><strong>Head injuries</strong> are common: in the US there are 1.3 million traumatic brain injuries per year <sup>1</sup>. Common causes include falls (children and the elderly), motor vehicle accidents (adults) <sup>1</sup>, or direct trauma from an object, assault or inflicted injuries (paediatric patients).</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>- +<p><strong>Investigating head injury </strong>is frequently required because head injury is common: in the US there are 1.3 million traumatic brain injuries per year <sup>1</sup>. Causes include falls (children and the elderly), motor vehicle accidents (adults) <sup>1</sup>, or direct trauma from an object, assault or inflicted injuries (paediatric patients).</p><h4>Reference article</h4><p>This is a <a href="/articles/summary-article">summary article</a>; we do not have a more in-depth reference article.</p><h4>Summary</h4><ul>
-<strong>assessment</strong><ul><li>history and examination are keys to an accurate diagnosis:<ul>-<li>mechanism of injury?</li>-<li>GCS?</li>-<li>been unconscious?</li>-<li>protecting their airway?</li>-<li>safe to leave their current environment?</li>- +<strong>questions</strong><ul>
- +<li>what was the mechanism of injury?</li>
- +<li>what was the GCS and what is it now?</li>
- +<li>has the patient been unconscious?</li>
- +<li>is the patient protecting their airway?</li>
- +<li>is the patient safe to leave their current environment?</li>
-</li></ul>-<strong>investigation</strong><ul>- +<strong>investigations</strong><ul>
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