Acquired Brain Injury

(Brain Injury, Head Injury)

Description

Brain injury includes a complex group of medical and surgical problems that are caused by trauma to the head. Some of these problems result from a direct impact to a particular portion of the skull or brain: a skull fracture occurs when the bone of the skull cracks or breaks, and in a depressed skull fracture pieces of broken skull press into the brain. This can cause bruising of the brain tissue, called contusion. Others problems result from indirect mechanisms -- the stretching and tearing of blood vessels or white matter fibres, the "bouncing" of the brain against the inside of the skull, or the secondary swelling of the brain due to injury-related chemical changes.  Shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of head injury that occurs when a baby is shaken forcibly enough to cause extreme contusions. Damage to a major blood vessel within the head can cause a haematoma, or bleeding into or around the brain.

Severity can range from mild concussion to extreme coma or even death. A coma is a deep state of unconsciousness. Symptoms of brain injury may include loss of consciousness, dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, headache, nausea, confusion or other cognitive problems. In the longer term difficulty with concentration and short-term memory, altered sleep patterns, a change in personality, depression, irritability, and other emotional and behavioural problems may become evident. Some people may have seizures as a result of brain injuries.

Treatment

Immediate treatment for brain injury may involve surgery to control bleeding in or around the brain, monitoring and controlling of pressure inside the head (intracranial pressure), other methods of ensuring blood flow to the brain, and treating the body for other injuries or infections. Seizures may need long-term anticonvulsant treatment.

Prognosis

The outcome of acquired brain injury depends on the cause of the injury and on the location, severity, and extent of neurological damage, and can range from full recovery to death. Long term consequences may include concentration problems, memory loss, personality and behaviour disorders, and speech and language impairment; these may result in loss of employment, lack of social opportunities, isolation and withdrawal and impaired family relations.

Further Information and Support

# Brain Injury Association of NSW
Suite 6,17 Macquarie Road, Auburn NSW 2144
Tel (02) 9749 5366 or 1800 802 840
www.biansw.org.au
Email biansw@healey.com.au

# National Brain Injury Foundation Inc
PO Box 42, Hughes ACT
Tel (02) 6282 2880

# Headway
6 Percy Street, Bankstown, NSW (PO Box 894, Bankstown, 1885 )
Tel (02) 9790 0046 or (02) 9790 0344

# Headway Victoria
2nd Floor, 212 King St, Melbourne 3000
Tel (03) 9642 2411 Facsimile: (03) 9642 2522 FreeCall: 1800 817 964                                                                    
www.headwayvictoria.org.au

# Brain Injury Association of Queensland
3 Finchley St, Milton 4064
Tel. (07) 3367 1049 ; 1800 673 074

# Brain Injury Association of Tasmania
PO Box 702, MOONAH, TAS 7009
Tel 03 6278 7299;   Email  enquiries@biat.org.au     
www.biat.org.au

# Head Injury Council of Australia Inc (HICOA)
PO Box 82, Mawson, ACT 2607
Tel (02) 6290 2253
Email hicoa@asisonline.net.au

# Alcohol Related Brain Injury Assessment
http:/home.vicnet.net.au/~arbias

# For children
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program for Children, New Children’s Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145
Dr Steve O’Flaherty (02) 9845 2132
Sally Hough (Rehab Officer)  (02) 9845 2132

Reviewed by: Associate Professor Nicholas Dorsch, Department of Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Australia