Head Trauma'

- A serious injury or shock to the body, as
from violence or an accident.
-An emotional wound or shock that creates

substantial, lasting damage to the
psychological development of a person,
often leading to neurosis.
-TRAUMA involving the central nervous

system can be life threatening. Trauma is a
major physical and psychological
dysfunction and can alter the patient’s life
completely.
-A trauma patient is someone who has

suffered serious and life-threatening
physical injury with the potential for
DEFINITION:
- Involves injury to the scalp, skull, and brain

tissues
- Trauma to the head causing neurological
manifestations.
ETIOLOGY:
-motor vehicle accidents

(eg, collisions between vehicles, pedestrians
truck by motor vehicles, bicycle accidents)
-Falls
-Assaults
-sports-related injuries
-penetrating trauma
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:
• SCALP LACERATION
• UNCONSCIOUSNESS
• BLACKENED EYES
•GARBLED OR SLURRED SPEECH
• BRUISING BEHIND EARS (BAATTLE’S SIGN)
• BLOOD OR CLEAR FLUID DRIPPING FROM
NOSE OR EARS
• RISE IN BLOOD PRESSURE COUPLED WITH A
SLOWING PULSE
• LOSS OF BOWEL / BOWEL INCONTINENCE
• DISTURBANCE IN GAIT
• PARALYSIS OR RIGIDITY OF LIMBS (ONE OR
BOTH SIDES)
• ASYMMETRY OF FACE
• VOMITING
-Scalp may be injured in the same way
as any other tissue – it may be
contused, lacerated and abraded.
TO CONTROL BLEEDING:
• Apply gentle direct pressure with a
dry sterile dressing, as with other soft-
tissue injuries.
• Do not apply pressure directly over
the area if you suspect a skull fracture,
especially if a depression is present.
• Apply pressure over a broad area or
around the edges of the wound.
• If object is impaled in the scalp, do
not remove the impaled objects.
- The brain can be injured as a result of
inadequate blood flow and inadequate
delivery of oxygen to the brain cells.
One of the most common types of injury is

coup-contrecoup. (the head comes to a
sudden shock but the brain continues to move
back and forth inside the skull.)
- When the brain is injured, blood vessels in

the brain increase in size so that more blood
can flow to the injured area. However injured
blood vessels in the brain may allow fluid
from the blood to leak out of the vessel and
into the affected area, which decreases
perfusion in the brain.
FIRST AID CARE FOR BRAIN
INJURY
3. Suspect spine injury in any victim
with suspected brain injury; stabilize
the head and neck.
4. Established and monitor the victim’s
ABCD; ensure the airway is open,
provides rescue breathing if the
breathing is inadequate.
5. Anticipate vomiting; be prepared to
keep the victim’s head and neck
stabilized as you roll the victim on his
or her side to prevent aspiration.
-Because the shape of the skull is
spherical and is thickness is
approximately ¼ inch, it is generally
fractured only if the force to the head is
extreme.
- Skull fracture itself presents little

danger unless accompanied by brain
injury, hematoma, cerebrospinal fluid
leakage, or subsequent infection.
TYPES:
6. Depressed
7. Linear
8. Comminuted
CLOSED AND OPEN HEAD INJURY
CLOSED HEAD INJURY – The scalp may

be lacerated, but the skull is not
exposed and there is no opening to the
brain.
OPEN HEAD INJURY – Is accompanied by

a break in the skull, such as that caused
by fracture or an impaled object. It
involved tissue, but can also cause brain
damage due to infection, laceration of
the brain tissue, or puncture of the
brain by objects that penetrate the
FIRST AID CARE FOR HEAD TRAUMA
•Establishing and maintaining an

open airway with oxygenation.
• Control bleeding; face and scalp
wounds may bleed heavily.
• Never try to remove a
penetrating object.
• If the victim sustained a medical
or non-traumatic injury, place the
victim on the left side; elevate the
head slightly, keep the victim
5. While waiting for emergency
personnel to arrive:
• Dress any facial and scalp
wounds that have not been
dressed.
• Continue to monitor vital
signs.
• Stay alert to the possibility of
vomiting or seizures; work
quickly to prevent aspiration.
• Continually monitor the airway
and the victim’s neurological

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Head Trauma'

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- A serious injury or shock to the body, as

from violence or an accident.

-An emotional wound or shock that creates

-TRAUMA involving the central nervous

-A trauma patient is someone who has

- Involves injury to the scalp, skull, and brain

-motor vehicle accidents

One of the most common types of injury is

- When the brain is injured, blood vessels in

- Skull fracture itself presents little

CLOSED HEAD INJURY – The scalp may

OPEN HEAD INJURY – Is accompanied by

•Establishing and maintaining an

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