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Management of Closed Head Injury

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Surgical Intensive Care Medicine

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Abstract

Closed head injury (CHI) is associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, especially in young people. This chapter focuses on the medical and surgical care of patients with severe CHI, emphasizing the role of the critical care team. The pathophysiology of intracranial injury revolves around factors that influence cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure (ICP), and direct mass effect on cerebral tissues. Injury at the time of trauma is often irreversible, but secondary injury involving delayed brain edema, elevated ICP, and progression of hematomas can frequently be reversed or prevented with timely and effective intervention. Advances in diagnostic modalities and monitoring techniques, as well as better scientific study of therapeutic modalities, continue to improve patient outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA, 01805, USA

    Jason Pierce Rahal MD & Peter K. Dempsey MD

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Steven W. Hwang MD

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  1. Jason Pierce Rahal MD
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  2. Steven W. Hwang MD
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  3. Peter K. Dempsey MD
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Correspondence to Peter K. Dempsey MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Critical Care; Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Division of Surgery, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA

    John M. O'Donnell

  2. Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Pr�-Card�o Hospital, Critical Care Medicine, University Hospital, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Flávio E. Nácul

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Rahal, J.P., Hwang, S.W., Dempsey, P.K. (2016). Management of Closed Head Injury. In: O'Donnell, J., Nácul, F. (eds) Surgical Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19668-8_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19668-8_15

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