Trauma to the Nervous System

Abstract

In the management of head injury the clinician must be aware of when and why complications occur. Although little can be done to modify the primary brain damage occurring at the time of the injury, much can be done to minimise the effects of cerebral oedema, raised intracranial pressure and brain shift which may complicate a head injury. It is not only that the life of the patient may be in danger, but disability can also be minimised by limiting the extent of damage to the brain. The role of the pathologist in the management of head injuries is to examine the clinical history and the brain of those patients who die with head injuries and to advise the clinician on the course of events and the complications which have resulted in the patient’s death. It is only in this way that the clinician becomes aware of crucial aspects in the management of head injuries.